Please read the articles shown and explore the links provided. We hope this will convince you of the need to minimze the risks of travelling on our roads by focusing on driving and not texting.
Safety is everyone's responsibility. Please be prudent.
By Dan Rynski on Oct. 01, 2010, Tucson Sun.
Don’t text and drive is the new vogue restriction throughout the nation, one that just oozes with common sense and would surely make streets safer – or not.
Crashes actually increased in at least three states after those states put texting bans into place, according to a study conducted by the Highway Loss Data Institute.
The study examined collision insurance claims in Louisiana, Washington, Minnesota and California before and after texting while driving bans went into effect.
The only state of the four that did not see an overall increase in crashes was Minnesota.
Thirty states have texting while driving bans in place. Arizona is not one of them, although Phoenix has restrictions.
Theory has it that even with the ban people continue to text and drive, but quickly hide their phones under the dashboard or their laps when they spot law enforcement patrolling the streets. Of course, their eyes follow their phones under the dashboard or into their laps and there goes the nearest lamppost.
Still, 92 percent of people polled by AAA said texting while driving is unacceptable – yet 24 percent of folks in that same poll admitted to doing it within the last month.
Go figure.
A few other bans have been equally ineffective, backfiring in major ways and making matters worse – not better.
The nonprofit Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) said Sept 28 2010 that its research found no reduction in auto crash claims after bans on texting while driving went into effect in 4 US states.
Such regulations are the law of the land in a majority of the country's 50 states, as well as in Washington DC, the first jurisdiction to enact such a ban.
The group said its research actually found a slight increase in the frequency of collision insurance claims filed from crashes in which texting played a role after the laws were enacted.
"Texting bans haven't reduced crashes at all. In a perverse twist, crashes increased in three of the four states we studied after bans were enacted," said Adrian Lund, president of the HLDI.
"It's an indication that texting bans might even increase the risk of texting for drivers who continue to do so despite the laws," he said.
Researchers have found that when drivers texted, their collision risk was 23 times greater. The dangers already seem well established, with little effect on driving habits. A dramatized educational video that shows the gruesome results of a car accident caused by a distracted, texting teen driver has been viewed millions of times on YouTube. Nationally, 58 percent of teenagers said they use text messaging.
(Sept. 27) -- Sending text messages while driving was the culprit in the deaths of an estimated 16,000 people from 2001 to 2007. Even more sobering, researchers warn that fatalities have shot up significantly since 2005.
An analysis of federal data on road fatalities, published this week in the American Journal of Public Health, concluded that deaths due to "distracted driving" surged from 4,572 in 2005 to 5,870 in 2008. That's a 28 percent increase in three years.
Many of the deaths involved collisions with roadside objects, as drivers typing on their cell phones veer off-track and into poles, traffic lights or other items.
"Distracted driving is a growing public safety hazard," the study reads. "Specifically, the dramatic rise in texting volume since 2005 appeared to be contributing to an alarming rise in distracted driving fatalities."
Thirty states now have legislation enacted to prohibit texting while driving, but anecdotal evidence suggests the bans often go unenforced
Despite the recognition of the danger, 83 percent of teenagers admit that they talk on a cell phone while driving and 68 percent admit to texting while driving, according to a survey of young drivers released today by National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) and The Allstate Foundation.
The survey, which was released in conjunction with National Youth Traffic Safety Month (NYTSM), also revealed these young drivers feel talking and texting on cell phones is as dangerous as driving on icy roads and in rain and snow.
"Unfortunately, many young drivers know distracted driving is dangerous, but choose to take those risks when behind the wheel," said Sandy Spavone, executive director of NOYS. "Car crashes are the No. 1 cause of death and injuries for teens in the United States, therefore we try to empower youth across the country to make a difference, reduce these crashes and develop and implement youth-led projects during National Youth Traffic Safety Month."
To gain a fresh perspective on current young driver knowledge, attitudes and behaviors, NOYS worked with TRU, a research company, which surveyed 605 young drivers, ages 16- to 20-years-old from across the United States. Through funding support from The Allstate Foundation, this survey found that many young drivers understand risks, but still chose to engage in those dangerous activities while behind the wheel.
"Reducing teen fatalities on our nation's roads is a priority for The Allstate Foundation," said Vicky Dinges, assistant vice president for public social responsibility at Allstate. "The Allstate Foundation believes that putting teens in the driver's seat to develop real solutions that will help change the ways teens think and act in the car is key to reversing the statistics."
Young drivers believe driving on icy roads (93 percent), driving while texting (87 percent), driving in the rain/snow (79 percent), and driving while talking on a cell phone (63 percent), is dangerous.
1) Although they admit that texting while driving is dangerous, 80 percent of girls and 58 percent of boys text while driving.
2) Nearly 40 percent of teens have heard about graduated driver licensing (GDL), but only 23 percent say their parents know their state's GDL laws. Parents who do enforce GDL, however, have a big impact - fewer of their sons and daughters say they've been ticketed (15 percent vs. 23 percent) and fewer have come close to being in a collision (56 percent vs. 72 percent).
3) Nearly half (42 percent) of teens knew a friend or family member who died or was seriously injured in a car crash. More teens who have lost a peer, friend, or family member in a crash have been involved in a youth traffic safety effort.
4) 65 percent of teens have asked someone to stop driving unsafely, and that number rises to 75 percent for teens involved in a youth traffic safety effort.
The survey was conducted in January 2009, with a margin of error of, of +/-4 percentage points and a 95 percent confidence level. To obtain a summary of the survey data, please visit www.noys.org.
Allstate Foundation* has lots of interesting data on the subject and teen driving safety in general
* The Allstate Foundation does not endorse AutoText
What does AutoText do?
AutoText (TM) is a very simple app, available for the Android and Blackberry phones* that, when activated, intercepts any text message sent to you while your phone is on and sends a customizable response to the sender. This way you can let the sender know you are not able to respond and why. It also gives you the option to tell them when you can get back to them.
Uses
While driving, or simply being unable to reply promptly for whatever reason, such as being in class or doing homework.
You can let your friends and buddies know their message was received, why you cannot respond now, and when you might be able to back to them.
Benefits
Improved Driving Safety-Reducing Temptation to be distracted while at the wheel. Peace of mind for parents and friends. Letting people know why you cannot respond
Act Now
Using AutoText is a very inexpensive way of possibly saving lives and certainly making you safer on the road. Please tell your friends and family members about this new app. Got to Blackberry World or Android Market and download AutoText onto your device to make driving safer for everyone on the road. Special pricing for a limited time-Just $0.99.