Technology surrounds us now more than ever. There are always new apps in the app store, new games, and countless social media posts. Today, we also see children spending more time on the internet. But using these platforms comes with risks and responsibility — is your child ready to navigate them? Talk to your child about online dangers. Before giving your child permission to use the internet or buying them a smartphone, they must understand the different types of online dangers. There are many harmful things on the internet your children do not need to see. Talk to them about phishing, piracy, obscenity, online predators, cyberbullying, revealing personal information, and how people may not be who they say they are. Set standards and boundaries for internet/phone use. What sites are they allowed to get on? Which social media programs are they allowed to visit? Is there any information you would want them to keep private? How long or often can they be on the internet? Don’t wait until Are Your Kids Ready to Go Online? INTERNET SAFETY 101
something terrible happens to begin implementing online safety rules. Make guidelines proactively for your children to follow so they know what is expected of them. Encourage your children to talk to you. Unfortunately, around 60% of kids claim they hardly talk to their parents about what they’re experiencing online. Therefore, your children must know they can come to you instead of hiding their concerns. Remember that your child may fear you’ll be angry with them if something questionable happens, so keep an open mind and understand your child’s situation. This will encourage them to come to you more often if a problem occurs. By implementing an open line of communication, informing them about the dangers of the internet, and setting boundaries, your child will have all the tools they need to safely use the internet and social media. Be aware of what they are doing and check their phones periodically. However, if you would like more resources on how to teach your child about internet safety, you can find tons of information online!
RUNNING INTERFERENCE
GET DISTRACTED DRIVING UNDER CONTROL
Keeping your eyes on the road is often easier said than done. In 2019, over 3,100 people died due to distracted driving. That amounts to almost eight deaths per day. Meanwhile, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 20% of car accident injuries are related to distracted driving. Worse, while distracted driving is officially reported as a factor in 8.1% of fatal motor vehicle crashes, many experts believe that may be underestimated. Investigators can sometimes prove distracted driving through cellphone records, but at-fault drivers are generally unlikely to admit to other distractions. The problem may also be worsening, with a 30% increase in phone distraction between February 2020 and February 2022. But while cellphones generate the most headlines, distracted driving is not a purely modern problem. For as long as we’ve had cars, drivers have found reasons to take their eyes off the road. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes three types of distractions: visual, manual, and cognitive. Visual distraction involves taking your eyes off the road, manual distractions occur when you take your hands off the steering wheel, and cognitive distraction refers to focusing your mind on something other than driving.
Our phones accomplish all three distractions simultaneously, but drivers are distracted by countless other things daily. Visual distractions occur when you stare at a car crash or focus on a particularly interesting billboard. People become manually distracted while changing the radio station or rummaging for something in the back seat. And cognitive distractions can involve everything from a conversation with another passenger to being stressed about a to-do list.
Ultimately, we’re only human — we notice things, and our minds wander. We’ll never eliminate every distraction, but understanding common distractions makes them easier to detect so we can return our focus to driving.
You can also take simple steps to remove the worst distractions while you drive. First, turn off
your phone or put it somewhere you can’t reach in the car. If the temptation is too strong, try an app like CellControl or LifeSaver to disable your phone while you are behind the wheel. Don’t eat while driving, and avoid animated and emotional conversations behind the wheel. Finally, with teens most at risk, talk to your kids about distracted driving. These changes will make you, your family, and everyone else on the road safer.
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