Apart from trusting everyone on the road with your life every time you get behind the wheel, let’s add a little electronic device to distract them from ensuring your safety. Unfortunately, we are very progressive when it comes to technology; I’ve even seen cops text and drive. But unless we designate a way to ensure that if a person is texting for an emergent reason while driving, you do the crime, you need to do the time. 

What set off this idea was when I was cut off in traffic by a guy driving an F-150 with a New Jersey license plate. If that’s not enough to infuriate you, then I don’t know what is. Well, how about let’s give Mr. Jersey boy a nice face full of cellphone? He’s fully texting right in my face and he doesn’t know he made me run off the road. 

I digress. To put you in a mindset to sympathize with me, I had to give in-depth details because I know it is a universal experience. I’ve realized that many drivers, especially inexperienced ones, have gotten so comfortable with texting and driving. Even my grandma does it, so there goes my hope for her generation trying to impart wisdom on this very important topic. So drastic times call for drastic measures. If someone gets pulled over because they were texting and driving, they should immediately expect to be arrested and taken to jail. 

I think this is a reasonable solution and punishment to wake people up and make them uncomfortable with texting and driving. I remember when there was a big movement happening in the early 2010s to stop texting and driving. Specifically, a random episode of home improvement that featured Justin Bieber. It was a very impactful and emotional episode about a family that had lost a child due to texting and driving. Unfortunately, we as a society moved on from it. But the truth is a tragedy changes a family, and it is so incredibly dangerous to text and drive. 

You know the depths that taking a risk to text and drive can take. You also know that it is just as dangerous as drinking and driving. Frankly, it really pisses me off. If you get caught, especially after making a mistake while driving, have a nice night in your cot. IN PRISON. I’m joking, but if people want to be selfish and joke about life and death, then you can spend a nice long night in a cell. 

Blair Bernard is a 20-year-old theater performance major from Lafayette, LA.