Texting Contributes to 1.6 Million Car Wreck Every Year
Texting and driving has become one of the most controversial, deadly topics in recent years. The amount of car wrecks linked to texting is shocking, to say the least – 1.6 million every single year. Of these accidents, nearly 330,000 injuries are reported. Furthermore, one out of every four car wrecks in the United States is linked to texting and driving [1]. This has become a serious, growing problem with no sign of slowing down. In an effort to discourage people from getting out their smartphones while behind the wheel, many states (including Texas) have passed texting while driving laws. On September 1, 2017, a law signed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott went into effect with the intention of making the roads safer [2]. Given the fact that one in five car wrecks involves driver distraction, this bill has the potential to keep drivers, passengers, and others on the Texas roadways safe.
While some say the texting ban will be difficult to enforce, law enforcement is committed to pulling drivers over when they think they are texting or using their smartphone in any other way. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, texting while driving is six times more likely to cause an accident than drunk driving. Just taking your eyes off the road to quickly look at a text can be extremely hazardous and lead to an accident. Just last year Texas saw one of the most deadly and devastating accidents involving a driver who was texting [3]. The Houston driver of a pickup truck that collided with a church minibus, killing 13 people, admitted to texting at the time of the accident. This is just one example of how serious using your cell phone while driving is.
Texting While Driving Has Deadly Repercussions
If you ask anyone who admits to texting while driving, they will likely tell you they aren’t the problem. They will say they are a “safe” texter and only take their eyes off for a split second. However, this is the problem. Taking your eyes off the road for just five seconds to read a text message can be deadly. According to AAA, 11 teens die every single day as a result of texting while driving. Unfortunately, teens are the number one group guilty of texting while driving. While many people have gotten away with sending a text message or two while behind the wheel, many other cause car wrecks.
If the statistics aren’t enough to convince you, here are a handful of other reasons why texting while driving is so dangerous:
- You are taking your eyes off the road – Even if you are just sending a quick text message, the fact of the matter is that you are taking your eyes off the road. Let’s say you are traveling 55 mph – if you take your eyes off the road for even just five seconds, that equals driving the length of a football field with your eyes elsewhere.
- You cannot text safely while driving, even if you think you can – According to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 71 percent of young people say they have sent a text message while driving and 77 percent say they are confident they can text safely while driving. This is a huge problem and one of the reasons driving home the dangers of texting while driving is so difficult.
- It’s illegal – As we mentioned, Texas recently passed a texting while driving law, joining many other states who have done the same.
The bottom line? Sending that text message is simply not worth it. Avoid becoming just another statistic and put down your phone when driving. If you have been involved in a car wreck with a texting driver, give our car accident lawyers a call today.