Texting and driving is a major problem. In 2011, roughly 23% of auto collisions were caused by cell phones. Studies show distracted driving increases your risk of an accident by more than twenty. Read ahead to learn more about the risks of texting and driving.
Why are Americans so distracted?
69% of Americans use their phones while driving. Compare that to 21% in the United Kingdom. Why such a gap? It probably has something to do with America’s constant go-go-go lifestyle.
Imagine the daily schedule of a single mom. It’s one thing after another. First, she drops her kid off at school. Then she goes to work. Then she has to take her kid to soccer practice immediately after work. By the time she gets home, she’s so drained that she wants to pass out on the couch.
People put themselves under so much pressure. It’s no wonder they’re desperate for human connection (that is why people are so drawn to the social media apps on their phones, after all!). Please understand that you don’t have to pack your schedule so tightly. What’s the point of being so busy that you can’t pause and appreciate anything?
Would you drive while wearing a blindfold?
Assuming a speed of 55 mph, you cover the distance of a football field every five seconds on the interstate. Isn’t that crazy? Here’s the scary part (pay attention!). Five seconds is the minimum amount of time it takes to send a text. If you spend time reading or scrolling through Facebook posts, that’s even worse. You might as well be driving with your eyes closed.
Texting and driving causes more accidents than DUI.
Drinking and driving has been dethroned. Texting and driving is the new boogeyman. Distracted driving kills more teenagers than any other cause, according to a study by Cohen Children’s Medical Center. Drinking and driving kills 2,700 teens every year. Texting and driving kills 3,000 plus. If you’re a parent, take your responsibility seriously. Kids don’t learn from what you say. They learn from what you do. Be a good example. It might save their life.
If you text and drive, you’re 23x more likely to have a car accident.
If you don’t take the risks of texting and driving seriously now, I bet this statistic will change your mind. Texting and driving doesn’t double, triple, or quadruple your odds of a traffic accident. It multiplies your risk by more than twenty. Turn your phone off. Put it in your purse, glovebox, or trunk. No text is worth your life, I promise. If you get distracted and rear-end another vehicle, you’ll have to get the help of a drivers defense service.
Please share this post to encourage your friends to put their phones away and make the roads a safer place. Thanks! 🙂