It doesn't have to be 2 AM anymore to see drivers weaving from one side of the lane to the other. It is tough to make a trip anywhere without seeing someone behind the wheel talking or texting on a cell phone.
In September of 2008 a California train collision killed 25, and it was determined that the engineer had received a text one minute before the crash, most likely causing him to miss a crucial signal.
Alexandria Brown was texting while driving to school in Texas. When she lost control of her vehicle, she was thrown and killed immediately.
The US Department of Transportation has set guidelines prohibiting drivers of commercial vehicles from texting while driving. This applies to buses, delivery vehicles and long-haul trucks. Violators can be fined up to $2,750.
Florida legislators have nearly passed a bill to prohibit texting while driving. Other states have passed similar legislation. Most states have made it a secondary offense, requiring another offense in order to ticket for texting. There are efforts around the country to make this distraction a primary offense.
Virginia Tech Transportation Institute's (VTTI) studies have documented that texting takes the driver's eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds out of every 6 seconds texting. At 55 mph, the average texter travels the length of a football field including end zones without looking at the road ahead.
The NHTSA has stated that due to a driver's mental inattention to the road, even hands-free cell phone conversations are statistically as hazardous as drunk driving. A University of Utah driving simulator study confirmed that reaction times of cell phone users were worse than those of intoxicated drivers. Many refute this finding, arguing that when drivers keep their eyes on the road, the risk is minimized. The VTTI studies found that in an actual driving situation, cell phone conversations were not nearly as risky as texting. Even so, the risk when reaching for or dialing a cell phone has been calculated at 2.8 to nearly 7 times as high as attentive driving.
Car and Driver Magazine conducted a study on a closed course, testing the effects of drinking, texting and reading email on braking distance. Cars were equipped with a red light, mounted above the steering wheel. Drivers were instructed to come to a complete stop when the light came on. At 35 mph, normal reaction time to stopping was .39 seconds. Intoxicated drivers needed an additional 4 feet to stop. Drivers reading email averaged 21 additional feet. Texting drivers needed an additional 16 feet to come to a complete stop.
Talk to your family, your children, and your friends about texting while driving. It is a conversation that could save their lives.
By Friendly Computers Copyright: 2010-01-28
By Friendly Computers Copyright: 2010-01-28
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