With the speed at which contemporary folks, including children, can type a text, it’s difficult to believe that this practice is not more than 25 years old. It was only between 2000 and 2007 that this common practice skyrocketed.
During the said period, text numbers across the US almost quadrupled. Today, it has been found that Americans send an average of 2 trillion text messages every year. It is not uncommon to find individuals buried deep into their smartphones practically everywhere – at the restaurant, subway, train, and even their cars.
Currently, 48 US states have outlawed the practice of texting while driving, which can have devastating consequences. The mantra of the day is to buckle up and put the phone down. With this as our context, we will discuss how tragic texting while driving can be and what to do about it.
The Statistics Do Not Lie
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers texting while driving as a form of distraction. It is extremely dangerous because the practice often involves all the three main types of distraction on the road –
- Cognitive – The mind is taken off of the wheel and the driver may lack situational awareness.
- Visual – The eyes are no longer on the road ahead.
- Manual – The hands get off of the wheel, thereby putting the vehicle in a vulnerable position.
To back up this claim, the statistics stand in full support. Every year, hundreds of automobile crashes occur simply due to texting-related distracted driving. Among the casualties and injured include non-occupants like cyclists and pedestrians.
This mainly happens due to the extended recovery time once the eyes are taken off the road. It has been found that it may take as long as 27 seconds for the eyes to reorient. It is only after this that the brain will have any time to process the surroundings before an effective decision can be made.
Given the speed at which vehicles advance, a few seconds’ distraction can cost lives and it does.
Consequences of Texting and Driving
The gruesome reality is that distractions involving texting while driving seldom allow anybody to escape unscathed. Perhaps after intoxicated drivers, the type one needs to steer clear of are those who believe they can multitask effectively behind the wheel.
A recent incident took place just a month ago in the Shawnee County of Kansas. A multi-car crash occurred when a Volkswagen Taos driver glanced at his phone to check a text. Just a few seconds’ distraction caused the vehicle to bounce off of a Ford and proceed to hit an oncoming Chevrolet Silverado.
Though the distracted driver of the Volkswagen sustained minor injuries, the 40-year-old woman in the Ford had to be hospitalized. This is just one sad case among thousands that occur each year. States have tightened their laws because of the commonplace and deadly act.
Perhaps among the strictest of those is practiced by Missouri, known as the Siddens Bening Hands-Free Law. It took effect last year after a similar deadly incident occurred within the state. It is believed that drivers of St. Louis would benefit the most from this law since the area is unsafe for cyclists and pedestrians.
The responsible driver may be fined or taken to court. Does this mean every crash with a driver using their phone would make them responsible? Not really. Suppose a multi-vehicle collision does occur in St. Louis while a driver is on their phone.
A thorough investigation will be conducted to determine who is at fault. This can only be done by the authorities and with the help of a St. Louis car accident attorney. We say this in light of the fact that the above-mentioned law is a secondary offense meant to encourage safe driving.
This means law enforcement cannot pull a driver over simply for using their cell phone. Individuals are allowed to use their phones for route navigation. However, the same may be written down as an additional citation in case of a crash. Similarly, other states also have laws to protect drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians on the road.
Effect on Car Insurance Rates
Every driver’s car insurance rates are calculated based on certain risk factors, including the vehicle’s model, ZIP code, claims and driving history, etc. Naturally, drivers who have received previous traffic tickets and distracted driving rule violations will be charged higher rates.
For instance – a driver is pulled over by law enforcement officers for texting and driving. The incident is one in which no accident occurs. They may be charged a fine for such a violation. Moreover, they will have to pay higher car insurance rates going forward.
Insurers have started getting stricter in this regard because distracted driving involving texting is perhaps the largest area of losses. Since the estimated premium surcharge ranges between 6% and 8%, every insured individual must pay that much more simply due to distracted driving behaviors.
Getting Drivers to Stop Texting While Driving
TorHoerman Law states that it is important to strike temptation at its core before it wreaks havoc. This means one should always have an “it can wait” mindset while they’re behind the wheel.
City officials are enforcing the necessary laws and using tools to monitor distracted driving cases. Even insurers are using applications to charge higher rates for distracted drivers and reward good driving behaviors. However, it all begins with conscious personal responsibility.
Drivers can prevent themselves from causing a crash due to texting while driving in the following ways –
- Put the phone in flight or ‘Do Not Disturb Mode’ unless the commute is over.
- In case of an emergency, take a few minutes to pull over to the side of the road and then text.
- Cultivate a desire to model a good example for other drivers and children. This will become a good motivator to avoid texting while driving.
- Download relevant apps that can block texts while you’re behind the wheel.
In summation, it’s high time that every driver buckles up and puts their phone down. Even a single life lost due to texting while driving is one too many. When collective measures are taken at state, city, and individual levels, everyone can look out for their own and others’ safety.
