The Dangers of Texting and Driving
It's no secret that many people today seem to be glued to their phones: Right now in the US, 90% of adults on a cell phone, and phones are used for everything from talking and texting to surfing the web. With the amount of time we spend on our cell phones, it can feel hard to avoid doing things like texting while driving, even though 43 states prohibit it. As tempting as it can be to use your phone while driving, safety should always come first; whether you're instructing a teen on safe driving habits or you yourself need a reminder not to text and drive, we have some great facts on texting and driving that will help encourage anyone to stop doing it. Take a look!
- In the US, about 5.25 million driving accidents happen each year. Now, out of these accidents, 1 in 4 are caused by texting and driving.
- This isn't actually that surprising when you consider that at any point of the day, an estimated 660,000 drivers are using (or are trying to use) their phones while driving.
- Any cell phone use while driving is distracting, but texting is by far the worst: Answering a text takes your eyes off the road for about five seconds. Five seconds of driving 55mph without looking is the equivalent of driving the length of a football field, but with a blindfold on.
- Because of this, texting is now responsible for six times more accidents than driving drunk.
- When it comes to teens, texting and driving is even more prevalent: Tough 94% of teen drivers say they think texting and driving is dangerous, 35% of them still admit to doing it anyway.Â
- Today, 1 in 5 teens involved in fatal accidents were distracted by their phones.
If you're trying to encourage safe driving in yourself, or a loved one, remember that no text is that important. If you truly need to answer a text while you're driving, take the time to pull off into a safe, legal parking spot before you look at your phone. It's best to keep your phone on silent and stored in the backseat to avoid any distraction from it. At the end of the day, safety should be the number one priority on the road.
For more information or to learn about which Chevy vehicles with built-in Teen Driver safety features, contact Walker Chevrolet today.