W82TXT Campaign
Distracted Driving
Each year, the popularity of mobile phones increases, and with that increase, the potential for more distracted drivers grows. We still do not know how much cell phone calls and texting contribute to car crashes. However, we do know that talking on the phone and texting while driving lead to distraction, and driver distraction is the leading cause of car accidents.
- Texting while driving increases the risk of accident 23.2 times over unimpaired driving
- Texting while driving results in longer response times than even drunk driving
- In the moments before an accident, drivers spend almost 5 seconds looking at their phones, which is enough time to cover more than the length of a football field going normal highway speeds
- Though 95% of drivers surveyed said texting behind the wheel was unacceptable and unsafe, at least 21% admit doing it anyway
- An accident can happen in two to three seconds while texting
Facts taken from a study from the Virgina Tech Transportation Institute.