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Alexander Heit, a 22-year-old college student with good grades and a quick wit, was driving in Greeley, in the US state of Colorado, when he decided to reply to a text message on his phone.

22岁的亚历山大·海特是名品学兼优，聪慧灵敏的大学生。有一天，他在开车路过美国科罗拉多州的格里利市的途中，拿起手机准备回复一条短信。

"Sounds good my man, see ya soon, I'll tw"

“听起来不错，一会见啊老兄，我将……”

We don't know the rest. The message was interrupted by a crash. Heit died.

短信戛然而止，海特车祸而亡。他接下来想要发什么，我们无从得知。

While the young man was distracted, he drifted into oncoming traffic, according to the International Business Times.

据《国际财经时报》报道，就在他分心发短信的时候，迎面撞上了一辆行驶的汽车。

On my cycling trips around Beijing, I often think about the many tragic cases like Heit’s that I’ve read about in my home country over the years.

当我骑车环游北京时，我时不时的就会想起我的国家发生过很多类似于海特的惨痛事故.

I am astounded by the number of my fellow cyclists and also scooter riders who I see not only carrying on phone conversations but also only reading text on their phones. Their heads are down, eyes transfixed by a small luminous screen, oblivious to the world they’re rushing toward.

让我十分震惊的是，我身边的人无论是骑自行车还是摩托车，我看到（他们）不是在拿着手机打电话就是在盯着手机看短信。他们低着头，目光神游在那块小小的发光屏里，早已无视身边的世界。

Of course, the faster you’re going, the quicker a distraction can become a tragedy.

当然，人在分心时走的越快，悲剧就越容易发生。

Studies show that staring at a cellphone for 3 seconds while driving at 60 kilometers an hour is as dangerous as driving blind for 50 meters, according to Xie Caifeng, a fellow at the research office of Shunyi Court in Beijing, writing in a column published by China Daily last year.

2016年，北京市顺义区人民法院研究室研究员谢彩凤在《中国日版》发表的一篇专栏文章中指出，数据显示，车辆时速60公里的情况下，低头看3秒手机的危险系数相当于盲开50米。

Xie wrote that official statistics showed that “the use of cellphones while driving was the top reason for traffic accidents leading to death in Zhengzhou, Henan province”.

谢彩凤写道，官方统计数据显示，“开车时使用手机是河南郑州交通事故致死的主要原因”。

It is also illegal. According to the national traffic code, it is illegal to use hand-held phones while driving, and an offender can lose points on their license and receive a fine of up to 200 yuan ($29.75), Xie wrote.

文章提到，“这也是违法的。《中华人民共和国道路交通安全法实施条例》明确规定，驾车时手持电话是违法行为，违者罚款200元，扣2分。”

Penalties are one deterrent, but education and social pressure also are important.

处罚虽有一定的威慑力，但是教育和社会压力同样很重要。

Two years ago, the Shanghai office of the media company Havas designed a campaign for the Global Road Safety Partnership using 350 smashed cell phones that had been in the hands of people who had died while texting in China, showing their last words.

2015年，哈瓦斯通讯社上海分社为全球道路安全合作伙伴组织（GRSP）设计了一份参赛作品。（该作品）展出了350个手机，每部手机上都显示一段短信记录。这些手机的机主全都死于驾驶期间发短信，而屏幕上的短信就是他们临终前的最后一条消息。

They were mounted on black slabs like gravestones as part of an installation for Road Safety Day in 2015, which was made into a film, SMS Last Words.

由此制作的短片《信息遗言》是2015年“12•2”交通安全日展览的一部分。（短片中）

一排排黑色立柱如同沉重的墓碑，悬挂着破碎的手机屏。

It showed heart-rending last exchanges like this one:

手机上显示的最后一段对话，让人心痛。就像这一条：

Driver: Don't worry, I'll be home quickly. 

司机：不用担心，我快到家了。 

Mother: Ok, waiting for u!

妈：好的，等着你！

As technology has spread across the world, the mobile phones that are a communications miracle have become the equivalent of a loaded gun when in the hands of distracted drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.

随着科技遍布全世界，智能手机成为了“聊天神器”。但是对于那些精力不集中的司机和行人来说，手机就是他们自带的一把上膛的枪。

Alexander Heit died back in 2013. By now, he would be 26, possibly starting a new job or business, maybe engaged to the love of his life.

亚历山大·海特死于2013年。今年他应该26岁了，或许他现在刚开始一份新的工作，也有可能和他的心上人订婚了。

After his death, Heit’s parents issued this statement: 

海特死后，他的父母发表了一份声明：

"In a split second you could ruin your future, injure or kill others, and tear a hole in the heart of everyone who loves you."

“一秒钟你能毁掉自己的未来，一秒钟你能受伤或是杀死其他人，一秒钟你能撕裂别人那颗爱你的心。”

So, please, put the phone away, or stop when you use it if you must. The risks are just too great.  

所以，开车时请把手机放在一边，或者停车后再用。低头一眼，家毁人亡。

译者：谢秋睿

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