Texting While Driving: Is it Dangerous?

If you are in the habit of texting while driving, it is just a matter of time before it catches up on you, and the consequences can be quite devastating.

Over 61% of the US population owns a smartphone. Smartphones have become an integral part of our lives, it’s hard to imagine being without them. However, indiscriminate use of smartphones pose significant safety risks, especially if one chooses to make phone calls, or worse, check his or her text messages or apps while driving.

One startling fact is that at any time of the day, 660,000 drivers in the country use their phone in one way or another while still driving a vehicle. Smartphones help us stay connected all the time – but at what cost?

Let’s have a look at some of the stats that should make you reconsider using your phone while driving:

ü According to the National Safety Council cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes a year.

ü As many as 330,000 injuries happen each year because of accidents caused by people texting on their phone while driving.

ü You are 6 times more likely to be in an accident because of texting and driving than due to driving drunk.

ü 25% of the car accidents in the US are caused by texting and driving.

ü When you answer a text, that takes up 5 seconds of your time. 5 seconds when travelling at 55 mph would be enough to cover the distance of a football field.

ü When you text and drive, you are 400% times more likely to spend time with eyes off the road.

ü Texting and driving is the most dangerous activity related to the mobile phone, by far.

Teens are the worst offenders when it comes to texting and driving. Here are some pertinent Teen Driver Cell Phone Statistics:

ü Teen drivers are four times as likely to be involved in an automobile accident as adults while using a cell phone.

ü 11 teens are killed every day because of texting while driving.

ü 94% of teen drivers are aware of the dangers of texting and driving, but 35% do it anyway.

ü Cell phones have been blamed for 21% of the fatal accidents involving teen drivers.

According to the 2012 National Survey on Distracted Driving Attitudes and Behaviors:

ü 48 percent of drivers answer calls on their cell phones while driving. Of those who did, 58% continued to drive even as they spoke on the phone.

ü 24 percent said they were okay with making a call while driving.

ü 10 percent said they sent text messages or emails while driving and 14% admitted to reading text messages or emails while driving as well.

According to the 2012 U.S. Cell Phone and Driving Statistics

ü 3,328 people in the United States were killed in accidents related to distractions in 2012.

ü 421,000 people in the United States were injured in accidents that involved a distracted driver in 2012

ü Of the drivers under the age of 20, 11% were involved in fatal car accidents because of being distracted at the time of the crash.

ü 25 percent of teens in America text at least once every time they drive, and 20 percent admit to sending multiple texts while driving. 10 percent of parents admit to do the same as well.  

If you text and drive, hopefully the facts listed here will make you stop doing such a dangerous action. If there is someone you know who texts and drives; be sure to share this article to them as well. 

This article was brought to you by gAuto!

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