Is texting and driving as dangerous as drunk driving?
As for whether texting while driving is as dangerous as drunk driving, the answer is, yes. In fact, texting and driving is six times more dangerous according to some estimates issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The NHTSA says that texting and driving takes a driver’s eyes off the road for about 4.5 seconds at a time. That is like driving the distance of a football field on a road with traffic and other obstacles while blindfolded.
The Harvard Center for Risk Analysis says that a total of 3,000 deaths are blamed on texting while driving each year. In addition, 330,000 injuries are blamed on texting and driving.
Both teenagers and adults alike admit to texting while driving, and since so many people text message these days, the activity has replaced drunk driving in prevalence. This is not good news when you consider that drivers who are active texters have a 23 times higher likelihood of getting into a car accident.
It is certainly cause for celebration that alcohol-related car accidents have dropped to historic lows by falling a full 52 percent since 1982. However, it is both startling and worrisome that non-alcohol related accidents have increased by 78 percent over the exact same period of time.
United States and Colorado residents who are accused of DUI in an accident could also be accused of texting while driving at the same time, and this will require an especially detailed and careful approach to a driver’s defense. Indeed, just like being convicted of a DUI during an accident, being convicted of unlawful distracted driving can also send a driver to jail and suffer other severe consequences.
Source: potsdam.edu, “Driving while Texting Six Times More Dangerous than Driving while Drunk” accessed Mar. 20, 2015
Search for:
Recent Posts
- Motivations behind false domestic violence claims
- Can DUI charges follow you out of state?
- How to protect your mental health if accused of a crime
- Driving and drugs: What you need to know
- Can you get fired for off-duty marijuana use?
Archives
ArchivesSelect Month May 2022 (3) April 2022 (3) March 2022 (3) February 2022 (3) January 2022 (3) December 2021 (4) November 2021 (2) October 2021 (4) September 2021 (3) August 2021 (3) July 2021 (4) June 2021 (6) May 2021 (1) April 2021 (3) March 2021 (4) February 2021 (3) January 2021 (3) December 2020 (3) November 2020 (3) October 2020 (2) September 2020 (4) August 2020 (3) July 2020 (4) June 2020 (2) May 2020 (3) April 2020 (3) March 2020 (5) February 2020 (3) January 2020 (4) December 2019 (4) November 2019 (2) October 2019 (5) September 2019 (1) August 2019 (3) July 2019 (3) June 2019 (4) May 2019 (7) April 2019 (7) March 2019 (7) February 2019 (5) January 2019 (8) December 2018 (6) November 2018 (6) October 2018 (7) September 2018 (6) August 2018 (7) July 2018 (7) June 2018 (7) May 2018 (6) April 2018 (7) March 2018 (5) February 2018 (1) January 2018 (2) December 2017 (1) November 2017 (2) October 2017 (1) September 2017 (2) July 2017 (3) May 2017 (3) April 2017 (1) March 2017 (1) February 2017 (2) January 2017 (1) December 2016 (2) November 2016 (3) August 2016 (3) July 2016 (4) June 2016 (5) May 2016 (4) April 2016 (5) March 2016 (4) February 2016 (4) January 2016 (4) December 2015 (4) November 2015 (5) October 2015 (4) September 2015 (5) August 2015 (4) July 2015 (4) June 2015 (5) May 2015 (4) April 2015 (5) March 2015 (4) February 2015 (4) January 2015 (4) December 2014 (5) November 2014 (5) October 2014 (4) September 2014 (5) August 2014 (3) July 2014 (5) June 2014 (4) May 2014 (4) April 2014 (5) March 2014 (4) February 2014 (4) January 2014 (5) December 2013 (4) November 2013 (5) October 2013 (3) September 2013 (4) August 2013 (4) July 2013 (5) June 2013 (4) May 2013 (4) April 2013 (5) March 2013 (4) February 2013 (4) January 2013 (5) December 2012 (5) November 2012 (2)
