One reason that many people still use their mobile phones to text while driving is they simply are not aware of the shocking statistics concerning distracted drivers and automobile accidents. With all the information available about the dangers of using a cell phone while driving, the statistics show that more people each year are accessing their mobile devices when they should be focused on the road and this affects auto insurance. At any moment of any day, approximately 600,000 drivers of every age are attempting to use their cell phones while driving an automobile. The following texting - driving and accident stats should show the alarming rate at which this epidemic is growing.
The simple truth is the smartphone has made life so much easier for everyone. Now you have the ability to check your email, chat with friends, or access your social media profile in seconds. Drivers today think because technology allows them to do things in lightning fast speed, sneaking a look away from the road while driving will not do any harm. According to the American Automobile Association, the cell phone distraction rates are becoming alarmingly high. In the last year, over one and a half million accidents on the roads were a direct result of the driver of the vehicle utilizing their cell phone.
According to the National Safety Council, of those million car accidents that occurred last year from drivers texting behind the wheel, it resulted in over 330,000 injuries. To make this more real for every driver in the country, the latest statistics show that one in four car accidents that will occur every day are a direct result of texting while driving. The accidents that are caused by drunk drivers is staggering, but by comparison, you are six times more likely to be in an accident if you texting and driving then getting behind the wheel drunk. Even though it only takes five seconds of your time to answer or send that text, when doing only 55 miles and hour you will have covered the length of a football field looking down at your phone. In that time anything could happen on the road to lead to the accident.
The American Automobile Association states that texting is the most dangerous of all the mobile phone related tasks you could be doing behind the wheel. Even though over 90% of drivers are in favor of a ban on texting and driving, more people every month are taking that risk and putting themselves and others at risk on the road. Teens especially need to be schooled on the dangers of this activity because 11 teens will die today on the road as a result of texting while driving. AAA reported that even though 94% of teen drivers are aware of the deadly consequences, 35% admit they still text behind the wheel anyway. Even more alarming is that 21% of all teens involved in fatal accidents were using their mobile devices at the time of the crash.
The statistics for teens texting and driving is revealing of a problem that needs to be addressed before these children ever get behind the wheel of a vehicle. These children are brought up on their smartphones, and many simply can not get through the day without that device near their side. Telling a child that the teen driver is four times more likely than an adult to get into a crash as a direct result of texting behind the wheel has little impact because they do not see the harm in taking a short peek away from the road. Education at the school level must present the impact of this activity in a way kids can relate. Showing them what the results of texting and driving will have rather than telling them can have long-lasting positive results.
These teens are driving with their friends, and as more passengers enter the vehicle and text, the risk of getting in a fatal accident doubles. The American Automobile Association hopes that these texting - driving and accident stats will bring even more awareness to an issue that must be addressed before more innocent lives are taken. These are all needless deaths that could all be avoided with better education not only at the school level, but for all adults and seniors as well.
