Texting and Driving: A Quantifiable Danger

Texting and Driving: A Quantifiable Danger
Cell phones have without a doubt revolutionized the way we live our lives in the United States, and this is especially true for smart phones. Between providing instant access to all the knowledge on the planet, giving us a way to keep in touch with distant friends and relatives, and providing on-demand entertainment at the push of a button, smart phones have quickly become an invaluable tool for young and old alike. However, with this added convenience has come a new danger: driving while distracted. Although operating a motor vehicle while engaging in a conversation is certainly nothing new, many people now attempt to drive while reading or composing text messages.

Texting and driving is dangerous.
Although a surprising number of people think they are perfectly capable of sending a text while operating a motor vehicle—77% of young adults believe they can send or receive a text message while they drive, in part because they think taking precautions such as increasing their following distance or holding their phone near the windshield so they can see the road while they text—the statistics bear out the assertion that sending or receiving text messages while operating a motor vehicle dramatically increases the chances of an accident .

Statistics on texting and driving.
When a driver looks at his or her phone, statistics show that they spend at the very least, 5 seconds with their eyes off the road. Traveling at 55 miles an hour, that is enough time to cover the length of a football field. That is a long way to travel without looking at the road, and it makes the next statistic much more believable: 1 out of every 4 automobile accidents is caused by texting and driving. Consider for a moment the ramifications of that statement: a quarter of the car accidents you will ever see will involve texting and driving in some way. Given that this is completely preventable, this makes texting and driving more dangerous than just about any activity.

Actually, texting and driving is statistically more dangerous than driving while intoxicated. Statistics show that texting and driving is six times more likely to cause an accident than driving while intoxicated. Most people would never dream of getting behind the wheel when they are drunk, yet 77% of them believe they can send a text message while they are driving.

If you think you can drive and text, please, think again. Do it for your family, your friends, and the person that you could end up harming with your vehicle.

Don't text and drive.