You are driving along the freeway on your way home.
Ping! It’s your wife. “Remember the milk”
A minute later John also sends you a message, “Hey bud, thanks for your help today, I’ll get those files sent over first thing in the morning.”
You glance down just for a second to send that reply and BAM!, you just ran a red light and rear-ended a new high-end European sports car.
It’s not the way you wanted to end your Tuesday.
Unfortunately, the above scenario is played out each day on American roads across the country. Technology has made it possible to stay in touch with family and colleagues at all times, but this comes with its disadvantages.
This article will give insight into some motor vehicle accidents that have resulted from texting while driving.
What Is Considered As Texting While Driving?
Texting and driving is the act of using your mobile device to read, create, and send text messages while driving. While this article uses the term “Texting and driving”, this includes instant messaging applications, social media, and generating or reading emails from your mobile device.
Texting and driving fall under the umbrella term of distracted driving. There are three main types of distracted driving, namely:
- Visual Distractions – These distractions take your eyes off the road.
- Manual Distractions – Removing your hands from the steering wheel to do something else in the car while driving.
- Cognitive Distractions – These are distractions that take your mind and thoughts away from driving. Your hands might still be on the wheel and your eyes on the road, but once your mind is elsewhere.
History of Texting While Driving
1983: The American market is introduced to the mobile phone.
1992: The first text message is sent by a 22-year-old software programmer from the UK Papworth.
1993: Nokia adds a text message feature that beeps to alert users of an incoming message.
1999: Text messages can now be sent across multiple networks. It quickly gained popularity as a quick, private, and cheaper form of communication.
2001: New York is the first state to implement laws to restrict the use of cell phones while driving
2007: Washington state is the first to ban texting while driving
2013: Four of the biggest mobile phone companies in the US launch a joint advertising campaign against texting while driving, entitled “It Can Wait”. (Verizon Wireless, Sprint, T-Mobile & AT&T)
2019: As of 2019, 48 states have passed laws that ban texting while driving
Why Is Texting And Driving Dangerous?
The NHTSA found that it takes approximately 5 seconds to read or respond to a text message. While that may not sound long enough to cause an accident, that’s long enough to cross the distance of a football field by car. A standard American football field is 100 yards in length.
Five seconds is long enough not to notice the car in front of you is braking, the cyclist crossing the road, or the traffic light turning red.
Texting and Driving Statistics
| Year | Texting and Driving Fatalities |
| 2017 | 401 |
| 2016 | 453 |
| 2015 | 453 |
| 2014 | 387 |
| 2013 | 411 |
Source: NHTSA
| Year | Number of People Killed by Distracted Driving |
| 2020 | 3,000** |
| 2019 | 3,142 |
| 2018 | 2,688 |
| 2017 | 2,994 |
| 2016 | 3,210 |
| 2015 | 3,263 |
Source: NHTSA
Dangers of Texting and Driving
Talking on the phone while driving divides our attention. Texting while driving takes our attention away from the road completely.
- The National Safety Council reports that 1.6 million car accidents each year are caused by people using their phones while driving.
- One out of every four car accidents is caused by texting while driving. That’s right, a whopping 25% of all crashes in the United States!
- Texting while driving is considered more dangerous than drunk driving – You are 6% more likely to be involved in an accident while texting as opposed to driving under the influence
- 8 people are killed in the U.S. every day from distracted driving.
- Texting while driving is a cause of around 390,000 injuries annually.
Statistics of Cell Phone Use While Driving
- 36,750 motor vehicle accident deaths were recorded in 2018. 2,094 of these fatalities were due to the driver texting while driving or because they were talking on their cell phone.
- 37,133 motor vehicle accident deaths were recorded in 2017. Of these fatalities, 434 people lost their lives because the driver was using his phone while driving
- It is illegal to text while driving in most of the US. By the end of 2019, 48 states had banned texting and driving.
- Teens who text and drive spend about 10% of their journey driving outside of their traffic lane.
Teen vs Adults: Texting While Driving Accidents
- The NHTSA reports that since 2007, drivers 16-24 years old are at a higher risk of distracted driving accidents than any other age group
- Due to their limited driving experience, teen drivers are four times more likely to get into an accident texting and driving than adults.
- 21% of teens involved in fatal car accidents admitted to being distracted by mobile phones
- 15.6% of young drivers (ages 18-24) have admitted to texting while driving
Drunk Driving vs Texting While Driving Statistics
- The NHTSA states that texting while driving is six times more dangerous than driving while intoxicated.
- According to the Transport Research Laboratory, writing a text message while driving slows your reaction time down by 35% while driving just under the legal limit slows reactions down by only 12%.
- More than 3,000 teens die annually from texting while driving accidents, compared to 2,700 while driving under the influence.
Texting While Driving Awareness
- The National Safety Council has declared April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month. It encourages Americans to sign a pledge not to check or send emails, use social media, or call and message someone else while they are driving.
- Enddd.org offers lesson plans on their website to teach children about the dangers of distracted driving. They do presentations at schools or businesses to educate people about the dangers of texting while driving.
- Four of the largest mobile phone companies started the It Can Wait campaign against distracted driving. Their website includes a pledge, publishes stories of people impacted by distracted driving, and provides practical tips for safe driving.
- The NHTSA runs the U drive. U text. U pay campaign to educate Americans about the dangers of texting while driving.
Impacts Of Texting While Driving On Car Insurance Prices
- Even if you don’t text and drive, the behavior of others could affect your insurance premiums. The increased prevalence of texting and driving results in higher accident rates. Higher accident rates mean higher insurance premiums for everyone.
- If you have received a citation for texting while driving, your insurance company will consider you as high risk. This could raise your insurance by an average of 21.65% each year.
- Since 2011, insurance premiums have risen by 20%—one of the main reasons for the increase in accidents caused by distracted driving.
- Many insurance companies use apps that track your driving habits. If the app shows you do not use your phone while driving, you could be rewarded with a lower insurance premium.
State Laws Regarding Texting And Driving
- In 2007, Washington State was the first to institute a ban on texting while driving, making it a primary punishable offense. A primary offense means a person can be stopped with no other traffic violation taking place.
- According to The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), 48 states have a complete ban on text messaging while driving.
- Missouri has a texting ban that applies only to drivers 21 years and younger.
- Montana has no texting and driving ban in place.
- In many states, such as Georgia, California, and Arizona, school bus drivers are banned from texting or talking on a phone while driving, even via a hands-free device.
How Can You Become A Responsible Driver?
Be proactive about safety in the car. Here are a few tips for your consideration:
Set the Example
Be the change you want to see in others. One might be vocal about not driving while texting, but what do our actions show?
77% of teen drivers report that although their parents warn them of the risks of texting and driving, they do it regularly themselves.
Avoid the urge to look at your phone while driving by putting it away, perhaps in the glove box or in a bag. If others see that you’re actively trying to avoid this dangerous habit, they will be more likely to follow suit.
Maintain Your Focus
Earlier, we mentioned the three types of distraction. Visual, Manual, and Cognitive. Make a concerted effort not to be distracted by devices, sights, sounds, or our thoughts.
Speak Up
Many people shy away from confrontation. If they see something that they don’t agree with, they might reason that it’s not worth the trauma of having that talk.
However, if you are a passenger in a vehicle where the driver is texting while driving, you should call him out. A kind reminder could be all it takes, while at other times, you might need to be firm and direct. Either way, do not be afraid to use your voice of reason when it comes to safety.
Lay the Ground Rules
Before starting a long journey where the responsibilities of driving are likely to be shared by a few in the car, set the rules—that way, any awkward conversations down the road are avoided. Everyone will know your feelings on texting and driving, and they will be less likely to fall into that trap while you’re together.
Make Use of The Apps at Your Disposal
Technology is constantly on the move. Each day, new smartphone applications become available that target the safety sector. Some apps will read any text message to you automatically. Others will alert the sender that you are busy driving and will respond at a more appropriate time.
So take the time to do some personal research, download, and benefit from these apps.
Find the Right Time
Any road trip, long or short, has a beginning and an end, and sometimes a few coffee stops along the way. Be conscientious during these stops to check your phone for any messages and respond to them. This will help you avoid the urge to ‘catch up’ on your text messages while driving.
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FAQs
What is the US Department of Transportation’s assessment of the most probable cause of collisions?
The most common cause of vehicle accidents in the U.S. is distracted driving. Distracted driving is any activity that takes your attention away from the road. This includes texting, social media, changing the stereo, eating and drinking, and even talking to people in your car.
How many people text while driving?
– At any given time, 660,000 Americans use their mobile phones while operating a vehicle.
– According to the AAA, 35% of teenagers admit they text while driving, with 1 in 4 responding to at least one message each and every time they drive.
– 35% of teens admit to texting and driving, even though 94% of them understand the dangers
– The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reports that one-third of all drivers regularly text while driving
– The NHTSA found that 36% of drivers use their phones while at a traffic light or stop street and will more than likely continue to be distracted once they start moving.
If you’re texting while driving, how much more likely are you to be involved in an accident?
The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) stated you are 23 times more likely to be involved in a car accident if you use your phone while driving.
Final Considerations
At the outset, we mentioned three types of distracted driving. Texting while driving or even making phone calls is dangerous because it distracts you in all three ways.
Cell phones take your eyes off the road, remove at least one hand from the steering wheel, and cause your thoughts to move elsewhere. You don’t want to be part of motor vehicle crashes that are caused by a cell phone. (These accidents can be prevented, so don’t be part of those distracted drivers statistics.)
Would you risk driving when you have had too much to drink? Would you drive the length of a football field at 55 mph with your eyes closed? No. So why give in to the beeps and pings from your cell phone when driving, as it can have the same sad consequences?
Too many people lose their lives every year due to distracted driving. Take a pledge today to not text and drive!
References
https://carsurance.net/insights/texting-and-driving-statistics/
https://www.nhtsa.gov/traffic-deaths-decreased-2018-still-36560-people-died
https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/us-dot-announces-2017-roadway-fatalities-down
https://www.bankrate.com/insurance/car/texting-and-driving-statistics/
https://www.hg.org/legal-articles/drunk-vs-distracted-driving-which-is-worse-31991
https://www.bankrate.com/insurance/car/rates-after-an-accident/
https://www.thezebra.com/resources/research/texting-and-driving-statistics/
https://www.thezebra.com/state-of-insurance/auto/2018/
https://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/cellular-phone-use-and-texting-while-driving-laws.aspx
https://www.ghsa.org/state-laws/issues/distracted%20driving
https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/nhtsa-survey-finds-660000-drivers-using-cell-phones-or-manipulating-electronic-devices#:~:text=Today’s%202011%20National%20Occupant%20Protection,has%20held%20steady%20since%202010.&text=%E2%80%9CThere%20is%20no%20way%20to%20text%20and%20drive%20safely.
https://www.bankrate.com/insurance/car/texting-and-driving-statistics/
