Texting While Driving: How Dangerous Is It?

How dangerous is texting or calling while driving your vehicle? Have you ever wondered why some people still do texting while driving despite the dangers that come with it?  Are there actual accidents that resulted from this uncalled-for activity while driving? Texting while driving vehicles leads to heightened distractions behind the wheel. To help the readers understand the dangers of this activity, this article will discuss mainly about texting and driving facts.

The practice of texting while driving has been deemed by many people and authorities as the most probable cause of vehicular accidents. It has also long been identified as the cause of car disasters and in some places has been restricted. 

Texting and Driving Facts blogs and articles reveal that although talking on a mobile phone while driving is considered dangerous, the threat worsen even more when (SMS) Short Message Service, or texting, was introduced. It has quickly become a social norm since the year 2000. 

An unreleased simulation study about texting and driving facts at the University of Utah found a six fold increase in distraction-related accidents when texting.  It is unquestionable that calling and text messaging offer a level of convenience in technology that cannot be matched. The question is at what point do we chose safety over convenience.  


Consider these results pertaining to national safety surveys dealing with texting and cellphone calling while driving. 

 
Texting and Driving Facts: Statistics on Cell Phone and Texting Accident

The information regarding texting and driving facts on this page reflect the most current statistics on the usage of cellular phone during vehicle accidents.

Cell phone usage is quite popular nowadays and people benefit too well in the usage of the gadgets, but talking and texting behind the wheel, which tremendously contribute to driver distraction, has been the leading cause of car accidents lately.

Here are significant texting and driving facts which are gathered by professionals and licensed survey organizations.

 

Texting and Driving Facts: Driver Electronic Use in 2010

• Percentage of drivers who were using a cell phone increased to 0.9% in 2010, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
• Young drivers aged 16 to 24 were more likely to use a hand-held cell phone.
• More than 75 percent reported that they were likely to answer calls while driving.

Texting and Driving Facts: Statistics on Texting While Driving

• Every year, about half a million accidents are caused by distracted drivers
• While teenagers are texting, they spend about 10 percent of the time outside the driving on the wrong lane

Texting and Driving Facts: Statistics on Teen Driver Cell Phone and Text Messaging

• Over 60 percent of American teens admit to risky driving while texting
• Every year, 21 percent of fatal car accidents involved teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 were the result of cell phone usage.
• Almost 50 percent of all drivers between the ages of 18 and 24 display their carelessness by texting while behind the wheel

Texting and Driving Facts:  Statistics on Adult Driver and Cell Phone Usage

• Talking on cell phones contribute to 25 percent of car accidents
• Ten percent of vehicle drivers are on holding their cell phones while behind the wheel
• At least 44 percent of American drivers have cell phones in their automobiles nowadsy
• The majority of Americans believe that phone usage is the most dangerous activity done behind the wheel.

Texting and Driving Facts:  Statistics on Dangers of Texting While Driving

• Texting while driving is the most dangerous of all cell phone related activities which include answering, dialing, or reaching for the phone especially when it is out of reach
• Teenage drivers are four times more likely than adults to get into car crashes directly related to talking on a cell phone or texting.
• A car driver searching or reaching for a cell phone or any other gadgets is 1.4 times more likely to experience a car accident.
• A car driver talking on their phone is 1.3 times more likely to get into an accident.
• A truck driver who is texting or talking on the phone while behind the wheel is 23.2 times more likely to get into an accident
• A truck driver dialing a cell is 5.9 times more likely to lose his control thereby resulting to mishaps.
• A truck driver reaching for a phone or other device is 6.7 times more likely to experience a road accident.
• For every 6 seconds of driving time, a driver sending or receiving text messages spends 4.6 of those seconds with their eyes off the road which makes texting the most distracting of all cell phone related tasks.

So the next time you ever think of texting, listen to music through your cell phone, answer a call, call somebody or even just to check your phone to see if there are messages, think of all the texting and driving facts you have just read.  Drive safely!

Ann Cervales, Davao City, Philippines