Texting Whilst Driving

Here we are looking at the dangers of texting someone whilst driving a vehicle.

Driving whilst talking on a mobile phone (hopefully hands-free) is at best a distraction from what you’re supposed to be doing – concentrating on all the hazards in front of you.

Texting whilst driving, on the other hand – is much worse – and is a real killer – especially among young people.

We will be covering more information on UK law and mobile phones very soon. However, for now, sit down and watch the video below.

Caution: some people may find this video very disturbing.  It shows the real effects of what can happen if you allow yourself to become distracted with a mobile phone.

Although the sad story told in the video is acted out, the reality is probably worse. what you see on this video happens on a daily basis and sometimes in a more tragic and horrific way.

Study comparing driving under the influence and driving while texting

The second Video (below) showcases an interesting study done to compare driving while texting and driving while under the influence of Alcohol. Although both are dangerous, the study found that texting was actually more dangerous.

Please read this excellent article on Mobile phones and driving available on Wikipedia

If you’re short on time, here are the main points below:

• Driver inattention is estimated to be a factor in between 20 to 50 percent of all police-reported crashes.
• Studies have shown that mobile phone drivers exhibited similar or greater impairment than intoxicated drivers.
• Driving while using a hands-free mobile device is not safer than using a hand-held cell phone, as concluded by case-crossover studies. The increased “cognitive workload” involved in holding a conversation, not the use of hands, causes the increased risk.
• Text messaging had the greatest relative risk, with drivers being 23 times more likely to experience a safety-critical event when texting. A study conducted found that drivers typically take their eyes off the forward roadway for an average of four out of six seconds when texting, and an average of 4.6 out of the six seconds surrounding safety-critical events.

Driving while speaking on the phone or texting can increase your chances of having an accident by 4 times or more.

The best way to avoid accidents is NOT to use the mobile phone while driving. One effective and sure way to do this is to switch off the phone before embarking on your journey.

SWITCH OFF BEFORE YOU DRIVE