Have you ever been on the phone with a loved one when they had a traffic accident behind the wheel? Well, I have, and I can tell you that there’s nothing like hearing the sounds of people screaming, metal crumpling and glass shattering when you are on the other end of the line, then having the phone go dead.

Fortunately, in that case, it was a fender bender, but I spent a very anxious 15 minutes waiting to hear that everyone was okay, just shaken up.

The statistics just keep pouring in, from researchers across the county - texting and talking on the phone while driving can be deadly. It’s common sense that anything that takes the driver’s attention away from the road should be off limits, right?

But, young people today are so used to dividing their attention - we call it multi-tasking - they assume they can multi-task behind the wheel, just like they do everywhere else. If you’ve ever watched a teen “do homework” while IM’ing, listening to music, watching a movie online and making phone calls, you know what I mean.

That’s why Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan (GSHOM) has joined Oprah Winfrey’s No Phone Zone campaign against texting and phoning while driving. Jan Barker, our CEO, is requiring employees to refrain from using cell phones while driving on GSHOM business.

As Jan said, “We are taking this strong stand against distracted driving in all its forms, including cell phone use and texting while driving, so that our staff will set the best possible example for all Girl Scouts and Girl Scout volunteers and the general public.”

Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan is partnering with law enforcement agencies to spread the word about distracted driving. Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton said that his department “encourages drivers, especially young drivers, to refrain from utilizing cell phones or other hand-held technology while driving. Texting, especially, “ said the sheriff, “creates a distraction which takes the mind, eyes, and at least one hand away from the focus on driving.”

Oprah featured the No Phone Zone pledge on her January 18 show, when she interviewed families who had lost loved ones in cell phone-related accidents. Researchers at the University of Utah say driving while phoning quadruples the driver’s risk of having an accident. Texting while driving multiplies the risk eight-fold, which is equivalent to driving while intoxicated. Studies at Virginia Tech Transportation Institute showed that truck drivers were 23 times as likely to crash when texting and six times as likely to crash when dialing a cell phone.

Girl Scouts of the USA partners with Microsoft Windows to teach girls how to be safe while using technology. “LMK” (Let Me Know) provides parents with tips, tools and resources to keep kids safe online. “LMK” includes mobile device safety tips and quizzes for girls and adults.

Char Luttrell is a Communications Specialist for Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan. She makes other people in the car answer her phone when she is driving. You can reach her at cluttrell@gshom.org.