Students win national recognition in contest

GRAVETTE — Since texting while driving has become a major issue with teens today, three Gravette High School seniors won national recognition for their class project which addresses the problem.

Members of the EAST (Environmental and Spatial Technologies) class at GHS, the students created a texting and driving survey and poster to raise awareness of the dangers which can occur with texting while driving.

The poster created by students TJ Chevallier, Cody Montee and Shelby Newell received second place in national competition at a conference held recently at Hot Springs.

The students’ survey was given to members of the junior and senior classes at GHS in which, of the 149 students polled, they learned 123 are active drivers.

The survey results provided the following startling results:

◊78 percent of the students polled said they have texted while driving;

◊47 percent said that while driving they text sometimes, every day or multiple times each day;

◊89 percent said they have been a passenger in a vehicle while the driverwas texting;

◊63 percent said they are not influenced by new anti-texting laws.

Ironically, Arkansas House Bill 1913, which went into effect in October, 2009, prohibits Arkansas drivers use ofcell phones to engage in texting while operating a motor vehicle.

The EAST students concluded that “If more teens would abide by the law,the road would be a safer place and fewer accidents would occur.”