Texting while driving is an all-too-common behavior for drivers, young and old. While we understand this behavior can be risky, taking your eyes off the road for a few seconds can be catastrophic.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) warns that five seconds at a speed of 55 mph is the same as driving a football field with your eyes shut. See below to learn more about distracted driving and the destruction it causes.
Distracted driving causes thousands of accidents
Not only does texting and driving put the driver at risk, but it also endangers other motorists and pedestrians. Distracted driving is now one of the leading causes of vehicle crashes in the United States. A significant portion of these distractions is due to texting while driving. Despite awareness of the risks, many drivers still engage in this dangerous activity. Forbes warns that 396 fatalities occurred in 2020 because of distracted driving and about 29,999 total injury crashes.
Intoxication and distracted driving have similar results
The dangers of texting and driving are comparable to those of intoxicated driving. Using your phone to send a text can have the same effect on your reaction time as drinking four beers in an hour and then driving. Distracted driving also affects recovery time on the road, taking up to 27 seconds for eyes to recover and refocus on the road.
The dangers of texting and driving are a threat that many motorists do not take the threat seriously. Drivers who engage in this behavior put themselves and others at significant risk of accidents, injuries and death. Every motorist needs to do their part to remain focused on the road and protect the lives of their passengers and other drivers.