Moms Talk: With Distracted Driving Becoming More Common, Is It Time to Raise the Driving Age?

More people are texting and talking on their cell phone while driving. One in three teenagers who text admit they've done it while driving. However, texting increases the risk of car accidents—drivers are 23 times more likely to get into a collision while texting, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Distracted driving has become more prevalent among all drivers, but especially among teens. The issue has elicited attention from local and federal officials, including U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who called distracted driving an epidemic at a

The Rye YMCA also will hold a . The forum is intended to raise public awareness about ways to increase pedestrian safety in Rye. 

All of these things raise the issue of whether teenagers need to be more experienced before they get behind the wheel. In Florida, the state legislature is considering a bill that would raise the driving age from 16 to 17. The move comes after a recent study indicated that raising the driving age by a year would reduce teen car crashes by 13 percent.

Here's this week's discussion topic:

Should the driving age be raised and would this help to combat the problem of distracted driving? How can parents ensure their kids don't text and drive? Should parents go as far as buying software or tools that can monitor what their children are doing when they are driving? Also, are your children learning from your example; are parents also guilty of distracted driving?

Should driving schools incorporate in their driving lessons the dangers of texting and driving? Should this also be a part of a simulated road test teenagers are required to take before officially getting their license?

Please take a moment to weigh in on this topic in the comments section below.