There are all manner of distractions that can lead to danger while driving; loud music, multi-tasking, answering cell phone calls, and trying to read a map or directions are just a few, but in recent years, a new distraction has come to the forefront, and is probably the most dangerous of them all. When cell phones first hit the market, people marveled at their convenience and innovation, but as the technology improved, so did the applications and add-ons, with texting easily becoming the most popular option for cell-phone users.
The move to texting was swift, and pretty soon, it became the go-to means of communication for cell phone users. This was all well and good, but when the fascination with texting became combined with the act of driving, accidents started to occur on a much more frequent basis. The problem has become so bad, many states have implemented everything from texting while driving bans to a complete ban of cell phone use in the car. While no national ban exists at this time, the feeling is that it is not too far away.
A study compiled by the Virginia Tech Driving Institute revealed some rather shocking stats in regard to texting while driving. They concluded that those who do so are 23 times more likely to be involved in an accident, and that the simple act of texting puts the user on a more dangerous level than a driver who is operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. While that may seem hard to believe, the studies confirm it, with an impaired driver, traveling at 35mph, covering 4 feet before coming to a full stop, compared to the texting driver who, on average, covers 25 feet before stopping.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have taken a serious look at the texting issue and revealed that in 2008 alone, 5870 people died in texting while driving related accidents. As disturbing as that number is, it doesn’t tell the whole story; there were also 515,000 injuries in crashes, with 28% of all accidents attributed to drivers in the 18-29 age range who admitted to texting while driving.
Teenagers are far more likely to be involved in texting while driving accidents, and that comes as no real surprise given that the average teen texts almost 3500 times per month, and that, combined with their inexperience behind the wheel, is a recipe for disaster. While the new state laws and regulations go a small way to help in bringing down those numbers, parents have to get involved too, and warn their teenaged kids of the dangers. Time will only tell if the regulations are having an effect on the numbers, and if they don’t, then we can all look forward to a total cell phone car ban.