Teenagers text. It’s as natural to them as eating, drinking, and thinking about sex.
In fact, they text while they eat, drink, and (yes) have sex.
They also text while they drive.
So do their parents.
But at least a group of teenagers is trying to do something about it.
Zach Slater — a Staples senior who serves on the Yale-New Haven Hospital youth board — brought the “Txtng Klls” (“texting kills,” for those of you > 18) movement to his high school.
Sponsored by Allstate, it asks teenagers to take pledge not to text while driving.
They back up their pledge with a thumbprint. It’s a natural: Thumbs are the primary texting digit.
At Staples earlier this week, the Teen Awareness Group got several hundred students to pledge with their thumbs. In return, they received thumb rings saying “Txting Klls” — hopefully, a vivid reminder whenever they text.
Blue thumbprints on the poster -- and a thumb ring on the "thumb."
TAG also distributed surveys — asking students about their texting habits, as drivers and passengers — to help Zach with a research project.
A couple of hundred students responded. Results are being tabulated.
Thumbs-up to Zach and TAG for tackling this important issue.