The Dangers Of Texting While Driving

Disturbing Stats

• More than 3,000 teens die each year in crashes caused by texting while driving (autosafety.com)
• Cell phones are involved in 1.6 million auto crashes each year that cause a half million injuries and take 6,000 lives (United States Department of Transportation)
• Truck drivers are 23 times more likely to be in an accident when texting behind the wheel
• It's estimated that 40 percent of all American teens say they have been in a car when the driver used a cell phone in a way that puts people in danger (National Safety Council)
• Women are more likely than men to reach for their cell phones while driving (National Occupant Protection Use)
• 48 percent of young drivers have seen their parents text while driving (Consumer Reports)
• Using a cell phone while driving, whether it's hand-held or hands-free, delays a driver's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent (National Safety Council)

How You Can Help

• Lead by example
• Don't send or respond to a text message while driving or at a red light; doing so puts you and others at risk and may even be against the law
• Turn off your phone and put it in your pocket or purse; only use it when the car is in park
• Always stay focused on the road when driving
• Speak out if you are in the car with someone who is texting behind the wheel
• Spread the word to promote safety in your community

Texting While Driving Will Cost You

• Minnesota's texting laws prohibits drivers from texting behind the wheel; the law also prohibits sending "electronic messages" and includes but is not limited to email, instant message, a command or request to access the internet; penalty for a first offense is $300
• It's very easy for law enforcement to subpoena a cell phone company and check your account to see if you were texting
• Such fines may also increase your auto insurance premiums

Apps

• AT&T developed the DriveMode app for iPhone which silences incoming texts alerts and turns on automatically when the car is moving at 15 mph or more; the app alerts the sender of the text that the recipient is driving; it even alerts parents if a young driver disables the app
• Android users have the ability to download the TxtShield app for $1.99 which blocks emails, browsing and common calling (except 911) whenever the car is moving more than 10 mph