One in Three Teen Texters Drives While Thumbing
By now, you'd have to live under a rock to be unaware of the dangers of texting while driving. There have been more studies on the subject than we can count. Despite raising awareness, all this information isn't doing much to change drivers' behavior. According to MSNBC, the Pew Internet & American Life Project recently released a study finding that over a third of 16- and 17-year-old texters drive while doing so. Yes, some of the most inexperienced drivers on the road are busy playing on cell phones instead of focusing on the road. But they're not alone. The study also found that 48-percent of children between 12 and 17 years old said they'd ridden in the car of somebody who was texting. This means parents might not be setting the best example for their youngsters. One kid surveyed in the study said his dad "drives like he's drunk" while using his cell phone in the car (which, we know from other studies, might be an understatement). On the other end of the spectrum, another kid said "it's fine" to text while operating a vehicle, and that he wears sunglasses so police won't see him looking at the screen.
Sorry to break it to that last kid, but there's no disputing that texting while driving is very dangerous. The challenge is finding a way to break the habits of cell phone users. Different states have enacted bans on the practice, but we need an all-encompassing federal ban to really make a change. Even then, though, it'll be tough to cause a change in hearts and minds. [From: MSNBC]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
lookatthepiggy said 7:12PM on 11-17-2009
Comparing texting while driving to driving drunk is idiotic. You can stop texting, you can't stop being drunk. I text while driving on occasion and I've never felt like I was endangering anyone. I am very careful and don't see it as any more of a distraction than changing the radio station. (Yeah yeah, I know. Thats what they all say)
I don't think texting while driving is the problem. I think its just that lots of people are bad drivers. The people that drive poorly while texting are the same people that drive poorly with no distractions.
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