There isn’t a query that texting whereas driving is extraordinarily harmful and irresponsible. For this reason most states all through the nation have made cellphone use behind the wheel unlawful. Though many drivers, particularly younger ones, proceed to take part in cellphone use behind the wheel, many are blind to how lethal this conduct may be.

Automobile accidents are a big contributor to the annual loss of life toll in america, inflicting over 146,000 deaths in 2015 alone. Ronald Bua, a Pittsburgh harm lawyer and distracted driving security advocate, says that lowering cellphone use behind the wheel can drastically scale back that quantity, and is one thing that oldsters, advocates and drivers ought to work on.

However I’m Good at it

Many drivers assume that they’re “good” at texting and driving. That is the equal to saying you’re good at driving blindfolded—you’re not. Many drivers assume that texting and driving is harmful for everybody however themselves and delude themselves of the danger they assume after they take part in it.

Most research, just like the one from King’s School and AT&T’s Teen Driver Survey amongst others, consistently discover that drivers know texting whereas driving is extraordinarily harmful, and but they do it anyway.

A number of the statistics behind texting and driving accidents are astonishing. Essentially the most surprising details embrace:

• Individuals who textual content whereas driving are 6 occasions extra prone to get into an accident than those that drive whereas intoxicated. In brief, you’re much less prone to get into an accident whereas driving drunk than you’re whereas texting behind the wheel.
• The common period of time a driver takes to kind out a textual content message is 5 seconds. In case you’re driving 55 mph and look all the way down to textual content for 5 seconds, you’ve already pushed the size of a soccer area. In 2014, the Journal of Adolescent Well being reported that the utmost period of time a driver can safely look away from the highway is just two seconds.
• 11 youngsters die on daily basis as a result of texting and driving. Youngsters are 400% extra prone to get into an accident from texting and driving. AT&T’s Teen Driver Survey discovered that 97% of youngsters assume it’s harmful, whereas 43% of them have interaction within the exercise anyway.
• In keeping with the Nationwide Security Council, cellphone use whereas driving results in 6 million accidents per 12 months.
• Drivers distracted by texting are 8 occasions extra prone to be concerned in a collision than non-distracted drivers.
• A College of Utah research reported {that a} teen driver who’s utilizing a cellphone has the identical response time as a 70-year-old driver who isn’t utilizing a cellphone.
• 64% of all automobile accidents in america every year are brought on from cellphone utilization behind the wheel—that’s 1.6 million accidents.
• Since 2010, over 660,000 drivers are utilizing cell telephones whereas driving at any given second in america. The Workplace of Site visitors Security chalks this as much as how addicted Individuals have turn into to know-how and cell telephones.
• 520 pedestrians had been killed by distracted drivers in america in 2014.
• 421,000 folks in america are injured every year by a distracted driver.

What’s the Answer?

Sufficient folks die in automobile accidents every year to wipe out the inhabitants in simply two human life cycles—with distracted driving being a serious contributor to these deaths. Many firms and state governments are racing to find out the answer to distracted driving—apps that reward you for not utilizing your telephone whereas behind the wheel, automobiles that block cellphone alerts and rising fines for cell-phone-use citations.

However many consultants agree that the start of a distracted driving answer is the drivers themselves. Our tradition has turn into deeply obsessive about know-how and our telephones. Studying to curb these impulses, whether or not or not it’s turning your telephone off or inserting it within the backseat, can practice drivers to get into the behavior of leaving their telephones alone whereas working a motorcar. Moreover, security consultants urge dad and mom to set a very good instance by disregarding their telephones whereas their kids are within the automobile.

By understanding how lethal and harmful texting and driving is, we may also help forestall future generations from taking part on this detrimental exercise. For extra info and to remain up-to-date on distracted driving information, go to the Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration’s distracted driving web site.

Lauren Bennett is a content material advertising and marketing specialist primarily based in San Diego, CA. She works with legislation corporations and public security organizations all through the nation to craft custom-tailored content material constructed to coach the general public concerning the risks of distracted and impaired driving. This text was initially printed by Driver’s Alert.