Important Texting and Driving Statistics
When it comes to avoidable fatal and other serious vehicular accidents, distracted driving tops the list of causes just under driving under the influence. Texting and driving statistics reveal a disturbing trend when it comes to how many people are distracting themselves purposefully while behind the wheel. This general disregard for life leads to approximately 3,000 deaths on the country’s roadways every year.
How Many People Text and Drive?
Almost 40 percent of teenagers polled revealed that they text and drive every month. According to various studies, using a phone for any reason while driving reduces focus by up to 37 percent. That is more than a third of your brain taken away from watching traffic, looking out for pedestrians, noticing stop lights or signs, and other essential driving tasks.
Many of the statistics involve people under the age of 20 because they are more likely to engage in this risky behavior. However, that does not mean other age groups maintain their focus at all times. The lowest groups, people between 50 and 70, still have a 4 to 5 percent rate of distraction. The frightening truth is that a huge percentage of all people on the road whenever you hop in your car and leave your driveway are engaged in activities that threaten your life. Do not be part of the problem.
Breaking the Distracted Driver Laws
With thousands of people dying annually and even more experiencing serious injury, emotional distress, and loss of property in driving accidents, it makes sense that all states across the country have adopted laws about phone use while operating a motor vehicle. In most cases, handheld devices are forbidden and texting is specifically against the rules, too.
If the reality of distraction from texting while driving and the increased potential to destroy someone's life does not convince you to put down your phone and focus on the road, perhaps the legal ramifications will. Put down the phone, pull over if you get an important call or text, and let your friends and family know they should change their habits for safety's sake.
The Horrific Results of Texting and Driving
Being in control of a vehicle that weighs thousands of pounds and travels at an exceptionally high rate of speed is dangerous enough under the best conditions. Things like traffic problems, inclement weather, excessive fatigue, and alcohol and drug use add extreme elements of danger to this everyday activity. However, one of the most insidious issues that people frequently refuse to stop involves texting and driving while on the road.
In the four to five seconds it takes to look down and respond to a text, your car can travel the length of multiple football fields depending on your speed. With total inattention, there is no surprise that thousands of motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians are killed or seriously injured by distracted drivers every year. Is your next text really worth someone's life?
