texting while driving risk vs undistracted

#Texting while driving risk vs undistracted driver

Whether you're reading this on your own OR because you're concerned about someone who's likely to text and drive, know that there are ways to break this habit. Moreover, texting while driving can put you at a higher risk for an accident than drinking and driving. If you'd never drive drunk, then you'd NEVER text and drive-driving with a BAC of just 0.01% increases your chances of causing a car crash by 46%, according to a 2014 study. The consequences you'll face for texting and driving are similar to those you'd get for another one of the most serious driving offenses: DUI. Is sending that text worth the financial burden? Is it worth risking your freedom? More so, is it worth the emotional damage a car accident causes to everyone involved? The penalties for texting while driving could include any of the following: states have passed laws to keep up with the corresponding increase in texting and driving. With the rise of smart phones and social media, more and more people- especially Millennials-prefer to communicate via text. It is every driver's responsibility to always be careful and attentive, ensuring everyone can safely get from Point A to Point B. Would you want a family member or friend to be on the road with someone so oblivious to the traffic around them? Remember, every time you get behind the wheel, you're entering a shared experience with mothers, fathers, friends, and children. In just the 5 seconds it takes to send or read a short text message, you've already zoomed past the length of a football field (traveling at 55 MPH) with minimal attention on the road ahead. When you're engulfed in a texting conversation, it's easy to forget you're sharing the road with other people. Cognitive: Takes your focus away from safe driving.Manual: Takes your hands off the steering wheel.Texting and driving is especially dangerous because it incorporates all types of driving distractions: In 2015 42% of teens say they have texted while driving-and texting and driving is the leading cause of death in teens.Īs you can see, texting while driving has very real consequences that will only get worse unless we work together to make these statistics a thing of the past.Thousands of people are injured every day due to a distracted driver.At least 9 people are killed every day because of a distracted driver.26% of all car crashes in 2014 involved cell phone use.It can be hard to grasp the dangers of texting and driving, but once you know the facts, this hazardous habit starts to become a reality.

#Texting while driving risk vs undistracted driver

When you choose to text and drive, you're threatening every single driver around you-and placing more value on that text message than yourself and your fellow drivers. Driving is a privilege because of the inherent risk and responsibility we all need to assume out on the road. However, when you're doing it behind the wheel, there are a litany of other factors at play. Because it's a common-even daily-activity for most people, sending a text doesn't seem dangerous.