Fort Smith teen’s essay wins ANF, AT&T award

January 4-10, 2016

By the Daily Record Staff

On Dec. 18, Fort Smith teenager Kaitlyn Miller was in Little Rock touring the Capitol with her parents, Jason and Amanda Miller. While there, the Millers also had a meeting with Governor Hutchinson. It was a full and special day for Kaitlyn, who won the “It Can Wait” editorial contest sponsored by AT&T and the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation. While in Little Rock the Millers also attended a luncheon hosted by AT&T and Kaitlyn received $500 for her effort. Congratulations to Kaitlyn, a tenth grader at Union Christian Academy, on a job well done. The Daily Record is pleased to run her winning entry.

“Although many of us believe that just a single glance at our cell phones while driving is harmless, it actually endangers all of those around us. As technology evolves, it is easier to be connected at all times. In some situations, this is a good thing! We can communicate with our friends and family all around the world, keep up with our favorite celebrities and call 911 from almost anywhere in the nation. However, with all this technology, there are also several downsides and threats to our safety. One of the many threats is texting and driving.”

“Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of fatal automobile accidents in the United States (Pines), and I believe that it is one of the most preventable causes. Think about all of the lives we could save by simply turning off our phones and putting them away. Texting while driving causes almost 25 percent of all car accidents in the United States (“Driving while Intexticated”). Even though most teens believe that cell phone use while driving is dangerous, almost 45 percent of teens do it anyway (“11 Facts About Texting and Driving”). One of the main reasons that teenagers use their cell phones while driving is because they have seen their parents and other adults text and drive. Almost 50 percent of teen drivers have witnessed adults using their cell phones and driving (“Driving While Intexticated”). If you know and understand that something you are doing could be harmful to those around you, stop!”

 “A man that my family knew was involved in an accident like this. He was driving down a road in Oklahoma, and there had been a car crash in the area earlier that day. If this man hadn’t been checking his Facebook, he could have saved an officer’s life, but because he looked at his phone, his vehicle got too close to the crash site and ended up killing one of the officers on duty. This man is now in jail and has to live with the guilt of taking the life of another man just because he had to update his Facebook status.”

“Nine Americans are killed each day in car crashes involving cell phone use (Shumaker). That means that at least 3,285 people lose their lives each year because of texting and driving. This needs to stop. The world needs to understand that no text is worth a life. It can wait!”  

PHOTO CAPTION:

Governor Hutchinson greets Kaitlyn Miller and her parents, Jason and Amanda Miller, at the State Capitol on December 18. The Miller’s were in town from their home in Ft. Smith for a special day for Kaitlyn, who was the winner of the “It Can Wait” Don’t Text and Drive Editorial Contest, sponsored by the Arkansas Newspaper Foundation and AT&T. (Photo by Karen Brown)