Save the Response Until Later: The Dangers of Texting and Driving

Did you know there is one distraction that seems to be on the rise with teens? It’s texting while driving. Whether it is a simple one word response or a few sentences, any amount of time that you take your eyes off the road to text is a threat to your safety as well as the safety of those sharing the road with you.
Check out these facts to see how much you know about the dangers of texting and driving:
-Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death in U.S. teenagers. Although we understand that not all crashes are a result of distracted driving, texting has become the number one cause of accidents due to distracted driving.
-Almost 65% of teen deaths due to car accidents occurred when another teen was driving. Set a good example for a friend and offer to respond to a message they receive while driving.
-80% of all car accidents involve driver’s not paying attention about only three seconds before the crash. With time spans this short, it shows that although it may only take you a few seconds to send a message, those few seconds could be the only time you need to cause the accident.
-Texting while driving makes you four times more likely to cause one of these crashes. With several dangers already present while driving, it’s important not to add to your potential harm by doing something such as texting.
-Texting while driving impairs your motor skills as much as having a blood alcohol level of .08 percent. Similar to the effects of alcohol, it can cause you to swerve into other lanes, miss a traffic signal or not break soon enough.
-Not only is it dangerous to text while driving, but as of last month, it also will cost you some cash if you get caught. In March of this year, Pennsylvania passed a state-wide law banning the use of text messaging while driving. The penalty for doing so can be up to a $50 fine and you may face points on your license.
Now that you know the facts, it’s clear that texting and driving is a dangerous. Spread the word to friends and do your part in keeping your travels safe.