Grace Craighead, an eighth-grade student at Trinity Lutheran School in Jefferson City, is a statewide winner of the "It Can Wait" editorial-writing contest, sponsored by Missouri newspapers, the Missouri Press Association (MPA) and AT&T Missouri to raise awareness about the dangers of smartphone-related driving distractions.
Craighead, 14, will receive a $500 first prize in the contest's middle school division. Her essay was submitted to the state contest after she won the local middle school competition sponsored by the News Tribune.
Craighead, daughter of Dr. Jonathan and Margaret Craighead, will visit the MPA headquarters in Columbia Dec. 14. Her day will include a tour of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and dinner with representatives from the school, newspapers, AT&T Missouri and MPA.
In her essay, Craighead said, "The truth of the matter is that the Missouri General Assembly should update the state's law to make texting while driving illegal for all drivers, not just for those 21 and under. They should update the law because if nearly half of adults are admitting to texting while driving, then they should have consequences too. The problem will only continue to grow if there are no punishments for people who are potentially risking the lives of others and possibly even themselves. If anybody feels that they can get by with it, then they will not see the problem in doing it. No matter what age you are, there are still dangers that come along with texting while driving."
"I was surprised I won, to be honest," Grace told the News Tribune Friday. "It started out as an assignment from our English teacher, who said we could enter the contest, so I decided I would. But as I researched the topic, I became more interested in it."
Grace said she thinks her research on the topic will help her, even though she doesn't drive right now.
"I want to keep following this issue," she said. "It needs to be shared. It's very concerning, knowing that your family could be injured or killed in what is a very selfish act."
Each day in the United States, authorities said, more than nine people are killed and more than 1,153 people are injured in crashes involving a distracted driver. Despite knowing the risks, 43 percent of teens admit to texting while driving. However, 90 percent of teen drivers say they would stop if a friend in the car asked them, and 78 percent say they are likely not to text and drive if friends tell them it is wrong.
Drivers are encouraged to take the pledge to keep their eyes on the road, not on their phone, at ItCanWait.com.