Texting while driving is difficult to avoid. Most people and most drivers carry a cellphone that can text. Texting is a very convenient way to contact people and to communicate. And because most people have their cellphone in their hand or close at hand throughout the day, it is easy to lose sight of the risks posed by texting while driving.

Because of that close proximity, many people text dozens, hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of times per day. They do it so often, that in some sense, they probably do not even realize they are glancing down and checking their phone. This may be annoying behavior to some around them, but it becomes far worse than annoying when they get behind the wheel.

The other danger is that they become overconfident and believe because they have not been involved in a car accident, that that somehow becomes protection against any possible future accidents.

But every time you get into your vehicle and text or read email or check the weather or a sports score, you take your attention away from the road and leave yourself open to a distracted driving car accident.

A bus driver in Jefferson County has resigned, after being caught texting while driving for a second time this year and has resigned her job. The first time, surveillance video in the school bus showed her texting while she was driving with students on the bus. In the most recent incident, a former employee noticed her behavior.

She claims her resignation is unrelated to the texting accusation; however, it is likely the school district would have been under pressure to discipline or fire her. It is fortunate that no accident occurred and no children were injured.

There can be few worse examples to provide to schoolchildren than suggesting that texting while driving is ok, let alone in a school bus.

Source: wdrb.com, "Indiana school bus driver resigns following more allegations of texting while driving," Ryan Cummings, August 18, 2015