Texting While Driving: The Effects Of Driving While Text Messaging

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The Effects of Driving While Text Messaging

Texting while driving has been on the rise in the recent years, and we’ve all heard the sad and tragic consequences of the using a cell phone while driving. Many states have passed laws regarding the use of cell phones while driving and requiring the use of a hands-free device in your car. Some states have overwhelming fines per offense but some are just a minimal fee. Here’s the facts and figures of the effects of texting while driving.
Texting is a newer, shorter and very convenient method of sending messages back and forth between users on a cell phone. It is similar to email, but often using shorter messages to carry on a conversation between two or more people. Texting is fast and easy, …show more content…

Also stated directly from the NHTSA is that, texting while driving takes driver’s eyes off of the road for an “average of 4.6 seconds” which is equivalent of driving an entire football field blindfolded if you are travelling fifty five miles per hour. Fatalities from texting while driving is the leading cause of death in teenaged drivers, however, forty seven percent of adults admit that they also text while driving. In Professor Hanson’s article, a study indicates that seventy five percent of people agree that there should be restrictions on all ages of people that text while driving, not just teenagers. …show more content…

Car and Driver Magazine did a study on how long it takes to react and stop a car unimpaired, legally drunk, and responding to a text message. The study shows that the reaction times are increased while legally drunk, with a blood alcohol level of .08, and rises even further with texting. The article explains that text messaging is more dangerous than drunk driving because you are distracted in three ways instead of only two ways when under the influence of alcohol. While distracted by texting, you are distracted cognitively, unable to focus on your driving skills. You are also distracted visually by taking your eyes off of the road. Last but not least, you are distracted manually by taking your hands off of the wheel to send a text message. Manual distraction usually does not take place while driving under the influence. Teenagers are the highest population that texts while driving and eleven teens are killed each day. (Samakow)
Overall, studies show that teens are affected by these numbers more so than adults, but texting while driving is increasing in adults. Many of the studies show how texting while driving affects teens, but overall shows that texting while driving is highly dangerous for all people. Many people are killed or injured on a daily basis from texting

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