Virginia Tech Study shows texting while driving 23 times more dangerous than regular driving, 3 times more dangerous than drunk driving.
The controversy over texting-while-driving has growing recently as “smart phones” get more popular and we send over 110 billion text messages a year in the US alone. Sure, texting gives truck drivers a quick way to check in with dispatch and keep in touch with family while on the road. But the message is quickly coming in that texting while driving, or Driving While Distracted (DWD) is far more dangerous than anyone originally thought.
The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) has
released a report about the risks of various cell phone distractions while driving. The
FMCSA - financed study tracked the eye glances of truck drivers as they performed various phone-related tasks while driving. Their results show that an average of 4.6 out of every 6 seconds are spent looking away from the road while texting, making the driver 23 times more likely to crash. Could you drive safely if you had your eyes closed for five seconds out of every six?
The results are even more surprising when you consider the risk involved in texting at the wheel are three times higher than driving above the legal BAC limit. Despite these findings, only 14 states ban texting while driving, although a national ban is supported by the
Governors Highway Safety Association, a national group representing state highway safety officials.
. The VTTI report said unequivocally, “Texting should be banned in moving vehicles for all drivers.” Causing a car crash while
texting in Utah can lead to a 15 year prison sentence.
Although the risk in texting is very great , the study also shows that talking on a hands free device has very little increased risk. Texting may be a cheaper alternative to talking, but the long term costs can be much higher. If you absolutely have to send a text message the only safe way to do it is to wait until you can stop to do it. It may be inconvenient, but the risks highly outweigh the benefits.
Do you text while driving? Do you think it should be illegal? Let us know in the comments.
