Today’s post is brought to you by SheSavvy and The National Safety Council www.nsc.org. All of the opinions expressed are 100% my very own. #TakeBackMyDrive

I never realized until I had my own children just how stressful it was for my parents once I was on the road. I sit hear now (staring at my nine year old) and panicking over the fact that in just 5 short years, I will be teaching my eldest to drive. I believe parents these days have far more panic when it comes to their teens on the road for one simple reason… cell phones! Drivers all over the world have a form of technology that causes deaths and accidents every… single… day! I am a firm believer that we must always be our children’s biggest role model, as they look up to you more than anyone in their lives. This month is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and I am challenging myself to be that prime example for my children when it comes to safe driving!

The technology we posses today allows us to make phone calls, text, email and update social media while driving! Thousands of people have died in car crashes that involved cell phone use and we all know someone that is guilty of texting while driving. So what about this voice activated technology that is supposedly safer? Car manufacturers are making vehicles as connected as possible, but at what cost? Research is showing that voice-activated technologies may be more harm than good and very distracting. Ultimately these studies are showing that voice activated technology isn’t actually a good alternative to using a cell phone while driving.

I want my children to grow up knowing that their safety, as well as mine, is far more important than any phone call… any text… any email! I went two decades of my life without cell phones in my life and a good portion of my adult life without one in the car to distract me. I am more than willing to give up cell phone use both handheld and hands free while driving for at least one week. I have actually been taking my purse (with my cell phone in it) and placing it in my trunk before getting in the car. Since taking this challenge I have been especially vigilant at spotting other distracted drivers. I am absolutely shocked at the amount of people I see not only at red lights, but going through intersections while looking down at a cell phone screen! I just can’t keep thinking to myself… “what is so important… you can’t put your phone down until you get there?” There really needs to be a change because there are far too many distracted drivers out there!

So what are you waiting for my friends? Get behind the wheel, crank a good tune, sing to the top of your lungs… make some memories with your family! Be that shining example for your family so when they are behind the wheel, they will practice non-distracted driving. The National Safety Council observes April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month because they want to draw attention to this epidemic. NSC wants to empower you to put safety first and Take Back Your Drive! Take the Focused Driver Challenge and pledge to drive cell free. You can pledge to your children or other loved ones that you will be an attentive driver.