Texting While Driving KILLS!
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Many people think that teenagers should not be allowed to drive. Why is this? Because they are distracted? Confused? Not properly taught? People of many ages text message while they are driving. Those who text message while driving have the same brain capacity of a “70-year-old driver who is not using a cell phone”. So should older people not be allowed to drive? This fact leads back to common sense: Do not text while you are driving, because it is very dangerous since it takes your mind off of the road!
Continue reading for further statistics and facts about using a cell phone while driving.
Studies say that texting while driving is up to SIX times more dangerous than talking on a cell phone while driving. Drivers that send text messages while driving often find themselves being followed by other motorists too closely were less likely to hit the brakes in time to avoid a crash and have delayed reaction times.
People who text have an increased risk of a crash because texting "requires drivers to switch their attention from one task to the other." The concentration levels needed for reading, responding and sending text messages is needed when a driver is text messaging, and we shouldn’t have to use many of these skills while driving.
Cell phone distraction causes 2,600 deaths and 330,000 injuries in the United States every year.
The amount of text messages are increasing since last year, averaging at about one trillion texts. President Barack Obama had already banned federal workers from sending texts while operating a government vehicle. The legislation wants to make states ban texting while driving.
So next time, for the safety of yourself, your loved ones, and those in the car with you, think twice about text messaging or making calls while driving.
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Thanks for your comment Peter. I have just finished watching a video from The Early Show where there are going to be satellites that will connect to your car and then to your cell phone. These will not let you call anyone or receive any calls while you are in the car, except for calls to 911.
I do think this is taking it too far because if you are going on a road trip (with more than one car) far away, with other people in the car with you, and they want to call for directions, I think that is fine. Or if I'm in the backseat of my parent's car texting a friend on a long drive to see family, shouldn't this be allowed??
I have a feeling many people are taking this way too far, but if that is what is needed to stop texting and driving, we need it to be in place. But then again, what are they doing about drunk driving?
Okay, I admit to having been guilty of this! But in my own defense......... almost only while stopped at a light.
Thank you for the article........ I will remember it the next time I am tempted to either look or reply.
Great article, and you are absolutely right. I have to say that I don't text while driving and never will. It is just insane. I also avoid talking on my cell but do it periodically. One thing I do is limit it to only a minute or so. We as people have to take responsibility for our actions, otherwise we will be controlled for every little thing we do. Thanks again.
Yep... I cant tell you how many people I see doing this every day.
Great article...very good subject...I have had near misses a couple of times lately the other driver was on the phone. I think people who do this are very inconsiderate. I liken it to drinking and driving.
Thanks for the comments, my main goal with this Hub was to raise awareness and keep others safe. Hopefully it does so. Thanks again. :)
There is one born every minute and they are all busy texting, let's hope they don't do it while they drive, foolish and irresponsible people.
I want to stay alive
Thanks for your comment katyzzz. Kids are receiving cell phones when they are a lot younger also, my Religion teacher told me the EIGHT-YEAR-OLDS in his neighborhood all have cell phones. And his 8-year-old son wants one now too. We need to wait until these kids need them, and give them limited use, such as no texting, internet, ring tones that you need to pay for. These all lead to cell phone "addiction" and using them whenever they can, especially in dangerous situations, such as walking across the street and while riding their skateboard or bicycle, both which lead to texting while driving.
GREAT hub....people need to stop doing this! Best, GPAGE
Thanks for your comment GPAGE, I agree and hopefully people will read this and think the same!
Texting while driving is soooo dumb. Thanks for this hub.
Thanks for your comment Jess! I'm glad I'm getting so much positive feedback for this Hub especially, I hope people think before they text. :)
Good advice. It will save lives. When information like this is shared, people take it to heart. God Bless You.
Thanks for your comment stars, hopefully many people will soon be informed about this issue and further educate themselves. Thanks again.
Good information; I don't see what is wrong with pulling over to text; then continue with your trip.
Thanks for your comment coolmon, I agree but still many people resort to doing this while driving.
Excellent hub. I was just thinking today that people texting/talking on the phone while driving are more of a hazard on the road than drunk drivers. I wonder which kind of recklessness kills or injures more people.
That would be an interesting statistic.
Thanks for your comment christryon. The number is probably about even in my opinion.
After just doing some research on this topic. Here are my results:
DRUNK DRIVING:
11,773 drunk driving deaths in 2008
alcohol-related car crashes kill someone every 45 minutes and injure someone every 2 minutes
In the United States, drunk driving is the leading criminal cause of death
More than 17,000 people are the victims of drunk driving accidents every year
CELL PHONES:
In 2009, there were 342,000 auto accident injuries due to being on a cell phone
In 2003, there was an estimated 955 fatalities caused from the use of cell phones
CRAZY!!
Jersey Jess, Great informative Hub! I hope many stop by... Good job wonderful advice! Pass the message on to your peers, Stay safe! Thank you for sharing, Blessings!
Thanks for your comment DeBorrah, I appreciate it.
What a great hub, and from a young person no less. Maybe by you writing this it will be more accepted and have more of an impact on your peers. However, it's not only the young, so all, no matter what age, can benefit from reading and heading this hub. Good hub, keep up the good work.
I hate when people text while driving. If im riding with somebody that is doing it,I start to get paranoid. People have to realize there are others out driving on the road,and they are putting their lives in danger,along with their own.
Thanks for the comments! :)
Thanks fastfreta, I sure hope so.
Thanks for your comment Lisaluv, I feel the same way. People don't realize that other people could be in danger from their actions while driving, which I have seen people messing with their hair, putting in earrings, brushing their teeth, shaving, so many more!
When you see a car with someone like this inside it, you can pick them out. It looks like a drunk driver, if not worse. Same as a drunk driver, never try to pass them. They could swerve in your lane and clip your car!
Its just good common sense not to do ANYTHING that takes your eyes and mind off the road. The life you save could be your own!
Thanks for your comment magnoliazz, exactly right.
I wrote two hubs about the things i hate while driving and texting (and calling) while driving is definitely at the top of my list. Whenever my husband and I go out for a drive, I look at the drivers of the vehicles near us and when one suddenly looks down while driving, I tell my husband to steer clear of that car! Maybe we should start a "Don't Text While You Drive" club. It's a common - sense thing but a lot of people are doing it. Scary! :)
Thanks for your comment emievil, I have to check those out next! When I'm driving I see myself constantly worrying about if a driver is texting or taking their mind off the road. Haha, we should start this club, it would share a lot of awareness!
Powerful Hub Jersey. Thanks
Thanks for stopping by Janny!
Great Hub, I was hit by a drunk driver about 12 years ago. And a guy ran into my backend fender when he dropped his cell phone about 7 years ago. When I see someone texting it reminds me of drunk driving. No one should do it! It is too dangerous to take your eyes off the road even a second, especially with so many others texting as well.:(
I signed Oprah's pledge - Not to text and drive- although I don't do it anyway. :) Thanks for bringing awareness to this problem.
Thanks for your comment Money Glitch, and I'm sorry about what happened. Very well said.
Excellent hub, we need to promote road and highway safety. I am working on a hub myself on the same topic. Great job.
Thanks for your comment zzron! We need to make safety, especially road safety, known to all since this is a major issue in today's society. Thank you for letting us know, I have to look at that Hub soon. Check out zzron's Hub about road safety! :)
It never fails; every time I have had a near miss (because I was the one that prevented it), the other guy/gal was on the cell phone - talking or texting!
Very good Hub. I rated this way-UP!
Thanks for commenting kahleranderson, I have seen this way too many times. And a lot of people will read this hub or what other people say about not using a phone while driving and just go along with their day and do it anyway! We shouldn't have to worry about people texting while they're driving, it's just common sense! We already have to worry about drunk drivers, but not those on a phone!??
Excellent Jess, I couldn't agree with you more :) Hope people learn and practice road safety.
I too am guilty and will remember this Hub next time I think oh it will only take me a second. . .big thumbs up on this and thanks for reminding me how stupid texting and driving truly is.
Thanks for commenting Mama Sez, I agree.
Thanks for stopping by wavegirl, I hope you remember this. Thanks again!
I cant even begin to tell you how much texting and cell phone users annoy me. They are worse than drunk drivers. I am constantly telling my boss to quit texting while we're in the car. Hes a bad driver anyway and texting doesnt help. The number of times he has almost killed us is unbelievable. It should be banned. good hub.
Thanks for commenting lisa, I agree that they are worse than drunk drivers. At least drunk drivers try to look at the road and drive slow since they are nervous about getting caught (sometimes). It should be illegal, I know that a lot of states are thinking about banning it. How good they will enforce it, no one will know. Thanks for stopping by.
Many don't care until it is too late. Wish more and more people read this hub so that more people will have this awareness. Thanks JJ.
Thanks for commenting jason, not caring can definitely be a problem. :O
Texting while driving is illegal in all states in Australia as well. It is a hefty fine if the police catch you, but I see people doing it quite often. But here in Oz just talking on a mobile phone is illegal as well, and I see people doing that almost every day.
Thanks for commenting David, I hope it will be illegal here soon! Even though people know it is wrong, they still do it and it's terrible. They're hurting more people than themselves. Thanks again.
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FDI VOICE
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Be Safe on the Roads,
Carene Simon
Regional Marketing Director
Call:877-819-0428
Email: ambazulu@yahoo.com
wow carene and c simon, thats cool! my car is voice activated, but will lots of people use this instead??
I agree with you completely and am glad that so many other people feel so strongly about the topic. Keep up the good work all of you who don't text and drive!
thank you so much i am writing an esay to get there to be a law in my area and this helped me thank you
txting and driving so not cool
Peter Dickinson Level 2 Commenter 2 years ago
Texting while driving is insanity. We do not let the insane drive. Thank you for your article.