11 facts that’ll make you second guess texting and driving

The rise of smartphones in today’s age has made the ability to text, send emails and browse the web easier than it has ever been before. And while these technological advancements have provided many positive changes in the way we live our daily lives, they have also become an easy means to incredibly dangerous driving practices.

The problem is that most people don’t totally understand the severity of distracted driving, evidenced by the fact that close to 70% of drivers use their smartphones while behind the wheel. Now the question lingers as to how we as a society are going to change that. And it starts with educating and informing people on how dangerous distracted driving really is.

– 9 Americans are killed every single day due to distracted driving.

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– Using a cell phone while driving increases the risk of having an accident by 400%.

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– 6 out of every 10 moderate-to-severe teen car accidents is a result of a distracted driver. The NHTSA previously believed that distracted driving only caused roughly 14% of teen car crashes.

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– In 2013, 27% of car crashes were caused due to distracted driving.

– Texting and driving is actually banned in 46 states, and if caught, can result in heavy fines.

– From 2005 to 2012 the percentage of people who have been observed using their phones while driving has increased by 650%.

– 3 seconds of texting and driving at 65 MPH is equivalent to driving the length of a football field completely blindfolded.

– In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 1 in every 10 high school teens drinks and drives. But nearly 43% of high school students who drive reported texting while driving.

– 48% of teens have said that they have seen their parents talking on the phone while driving. 15% of teens have said that they’ve seen their parents texting and driving.

– Texting and driving is 6 times more likely to get you into an accident than drinking and driving.

– 90% of teens expect a reply to a text within 5 minutes of sending it. This ultimately puts pressure on them to respond quickly, even if they are driving.

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