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Don't Text and Drive

If you text and drive, you’re 23 times more likely to have a car crash.

Texting while driving has become the number one driving distraction for many people. Drivers need to be aware of the dangers and keep their attention on the road, not on their cell phones or other mobile devices.

Statistics

Individuals who drive while sending or reading text messages are 23 percent more likely to be involved in a car crash than other drivers. A crash typically happens within an average of three seconds after a driver is distracted.

Facts About Texting & Driving

  • The United States Department of Transportation notes that cell phones are involved in 1.6 million auto crashes each year that cause a half million injuries and take 6,000 lives.
  • According to FocusDriven®, up to 80 percent of all crashes involve some form of driver distraction.
  • During any point of the day, 11 percent of drivers are talking on their cell phones, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
  • A study from the University of Utah indicated that the reaction time of a teen driver using a cell phone is the same as that of a 70-year-old driver who is not using a cell phone.
  • According to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, texting while driving is six times more likely to cause an auto crash than driving when intoxicated.
  • The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute installed cameras on dashboards inside truck cabs. From the video footage, on average it took five seconds with their eyes off the road when driver’s experienced distractions. The distance covered in five seconds of driving at 55 mph is equivalent to the length of a football field.

Sources: AAA, United States Department of Transportation, University of Utah, FocusDriven® Nationwide Insurance study, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.

FOR YOUR SAFETY, FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES WHEN DRIVING:

  • Don’t write, send or read a text message while driving, even when stopped at a red light or in traffic. These actions put you, and those around you, in danger. You may also be breaking the law. Many states are passing laws to restrict or ban the practice of text messaging while driving.
  • Turn off your cell phone or PDA and put it in your pocket. Wait to use the device once you are safely and legally parked.
  • Don’t text while running, cycling or participating in other recreational sports.