Feb. 14 is National Donor Day
Join a Donor Dash. Donor Dash fundraising events pop up all over the country on National Donor Day. These noncompetitive 5K running and walking events are designed to bring donors and recipients together and keep hope alive for those who are currently waiting for a donation. To learn more, or to register for an event, check out DonorAlliance.org. Participate in #StartTheConversation. #StartTheConversation campaign as a way to help spread awareness about organ and tissue donation. Starting the conversation can be as simple as sharing that you registered with your friends and family or as personal as sharing a story about how organ donation has touched your life or the lives of your loved ones. Don’t let another Valentine’s Day come and go in a tide of cellophane, candy hearts, and cheesy cards. This year, get involved in National Donor Day. After all, what better way is there to express the value of love than giving the gift of life? Donor Alliance, a nonprofit that works to promote organ donation, began the
With all the cards, chocolates, and expensive dinners, it’s easy to get cynical about Valentine’s Day. However, National Donor Day also falls on Feb. 14, and it can refocus our attention back on the real meaning of the day: love. In the U.S., 20 people die each day while waiting for an organ transplant. Losing loved ones is one of the most painful aspects of the human experience, and while it is unavoidable, organ donation offers a pathway to help prevent that loss and keep more love in the world. In the spirit of that love, here are a few ways you can get involved with National Donor Day this Feb. 14. Register as an organ donor. Signing yourself up is easy and can be done either online or in person at your local Department of Motor Vehicles. You’ll need official identification to register. Registration is not permanent and you will always have the option to change your mind. Once registered, you will not need to carry your donor card with you, as your status exists in the registry.
The Lie of Hands-Free Give the Gift of Life How to Combat Inattentional Blindness Last year, Arizona became the 48th state to ban drivers from using handheld cellular devices while behind the wheel of a car. This law aimed to combat distracted driving by making it illegal for drivers to talk or text while the car is in motion. The law extends to cellphones, tablets, and gaming devices. Drivers who violate this law can receive fines of up to $149 for their first violation and up to $250 for their second violation. This law focuses on preventing drivers from physically touching or looking at their devices while driving, which is why many drivers are turning to hands-free mode. With more cars being built with Bluetooth capabilities, some drivers are already relying on hands- free mode to send and receive calls or text messages while driving. Because hands-free mode tends to be an exception in distracted-
driving laws, many people are under the impression that using hand-free mode while behind the wheel is totally safe. This could not be further from the truth. Have you ever tried to read a book while talking on the phone? You can’t do it. Your brain can only focus on one task or the other. The same goes for when you’re trying to drive while talking on the phone. Though your hands and eyes may be on the road, when you’re engaged in conversation, your brain isn’t paying attention. Your field of vision narrows, and you miss up to 50% of what’s going on around you.
engaged in conversation while driving had slower reaction times to road hazards and were more likely to “look but fail to see” hazards. This means that while their eyes saw the hazards, their brains didn’t register the danger so they failed to react safely. This phenomenon is called “inattentional blindness,” and it’s why many drivers insist that they didn’t see the other car, motorcycle, or bicyclist they hit, even though they were in plain view. The best way to combat inattentional blindness is by keeping your attention 100% on the road. Hands-free is not risk-free. When you’re driving, the only safe phones are ones that are turned off.
Research from the University of Sussex in England found that drivers who are
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