Did you know that nearly 50% of teens admit to texting while driving- an alarming statistic that now rivals driving and drinking in terms of danger and prevalence.
When it comes to teen driving, put the danger of text-messaging right up there with drunken driving as Public Enemies No. 1 and 1A on the nation's roads.
According to SADD ( Students Against Destructive Decisions), instant messaging and text-messaging while driving leads the list as the biggest distraction while driving. The study, released in 2007, which included 900 teens from 26 high schools nationwide, revealed that text-messaging while driving is becoming as dangerous as drinking and driving, in terms of inhibiting a teens driving abilities. Yet, even while 37% of teens rated text-messaging while driving as "extremely" or "very" distracting, they continue to send and receive messaging in their moving vehicles anyway.
Alarmingly, 46% of teens admitted that those who drive distracted are texting, according to a AAA study which appeared in several magazines in 2007. The crash statistics surrounding distractions in vehicles, such as cellphone use, are growing. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that distracted drivers account for almost 80% of all crashes and 65% of near-crashes in the United States.While most states have adopted or are adjusting legislation around teen driving, the restrictions of teen driving laws vary from state to state.
Based on the extensive research over the past several years, SADD have set forth a number of guidelines for families-including preventing cell phone use in the car.
Interestingly, 52% of teens who say their parents are unlikely to follow through on punishment if they are caught text-messaging while driving, compared to 36% of teens who believe their parents would penalize them, according to the SADD.
Not surprisingly, the study also reports the biggest influence on how teens drive is their parents. Almost two-thirds of high school teens say their parents talk on a cell phone while driving; almost half say their parents speed and almost a third say their parents don't wear a safety belt.
1 comment:
80% percent of all rear end collisions (the most frequent vehicle accident) are caused by driver inattention, following too closely, external distraction (talking on cell phones, shaving, applying makeup, fiddling with the radio or CD player, texting, etc.) and poor judgment. I doubt if we'll ever stop the madness so I got one of these sparebumper.com to protect my family and vehicle.
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