A person with first-hand knowledge of the dangers of texting and driving spoke to a filled auditorium at Rhinelander High school Thursday.
Reggie Shaw lives in Utah. He told students that not paying attention when he was driving led to a traffic crash that haunts him to this day...
"....when I was 19 years old I was texting and driving and I went across the center line and hit a car head on and I took two people's lives. It's a decision I regret every day...."
Shaw says he hopes people learn from him and not make the same mistake to text while driving.
Shaw says it's not a matter of 'if' you're going to get into an accident, it's a matter of when.
Bill Gau from the Department of Transportation was staffing a simulator at the school which gives drivers a clear idea what can happen when driving distracted....
"....we'd rather see them and show them on a simulator what it's like when they're texting and trying to drive and crash, versus doing it in real life and crashing in real life...."
Gau says texting is only one form of distracted driving. State Troopers have reported drivers shaving while driving, and Gau said he saw a man playing a trumpet while behind the wheel.
