Car Accidents: Dangers of Texting While Driving
Car accidents happen in New York everyday. In fact, according to the New York Department of Motor Vehicles there were approximately 304,804 motor vehicle crashes during 2013 in the State of New York.
There are many different factors that can cause a car accident including reckless driving, speeding, poor road conditions and other factors.
However, there is one specific cause of vehicular accidents that has been on the rise in recent years; texting while driving.
In this post, we discuss some of the shocking statistics about the dangers of texting at the wheel.
The Dangers of Texting & Driving
Accidents caused by texting and driving have increased steadily with the widespread adoption of cell phones use and acceptance of text messaging as a new form of communication.
While texting is only type of distracted driving, it is one of the most prevalent forms and is a leading cause of accidents on roadways throughout our country.
Understanding the dangers of texting at the wheel can help drivers refrain the dangerous habit and save lives.
Texting And Driving Statistics In The US
There is perhaps no better way of demonstrating the dangers of texting and driving than by looking at the statistics.
Data from a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) suggests that at any given time in during the day approximately 660,000 drivers are attempting to use their cell phone or electronic device on US roads.
Unfortunately, many of these drivers who type away on the road do not know exactly how dangerous there actions are. According to textinganddrivingsafety.com, texting while driving can make a crash up to 23 times more likely to occur.
The National Safety Council estimates that there are roughly 1.6 million vehicle accidents which involve cell phone use each year. Of those accidents, many can be directly attributed to texting while driving.
Texting and Driving Is Especially Dangerous For Teens
Car crashes are the leading cause of teen deaths in America. Many of the fatal accidents that teens are involved in are at least partially caused by texting while driving.
According to a teen driver survey conducted by AT&T, about 97% of teenagers said that texting while driving is dangerous, yet 43% admitted to doing it anyway.
Furthermore, research suggests that teens are four times more likely to be involved in an accident caused by texting while driving when compared to the likelihood of adults texting while driving.
The Bottom Line On Texting At The Wheel
There are many more statistics which could be used to further illustrate the dangers of texting at the wheel.
However, the bottom line is that texting while driving is extremely dangerous and is not worth the risks involved. While nobody should text behind the wheel, it is especially important for teens to understand how dangerous it can be.
