Wednesday, December 7, 2011

The Text & Drive Debate



When cell phones were introduced more than a decade ago, no one knew the scope of influence they would have on modern society.  Now, in 2011, the cellphone has morphed into an extension of our person. Need sport scores on the go? Got it.  Need to update your Facebook or Twitter? Got that too.  What about the temperature for the upcoming week? Yup! 
Having a small item that performs so many tasks at you fingertips, it’s difficult to not want to pick it up any time during the day and be spoon-fed a plethora of information. Even if that means you’re behind the wheel.   Texting and driving is the worst possible thing you can do while driving.  It slows your reaction time and attentiveness to a halt.  Below you’ll find some disturbing statistics…PLEASE drive safely:
  • Distraction from cell phone use while driving (hand held or hands free) extends a driver's reaction as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. (University of Utah)
  • The No.1 source of driver inattention is use of a wireless device. (Virginia Tech/NHTSA)
  • Drivers that use cell phones are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. (NHTSA, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
  • 10 percent of drivers aged 16 to 24 years old are on their phone at any one time.
  • Driving while distracted is a factor in 25 percent of police reported crashes.
  • Driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37 percent  (Carnegie Mellon) 




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