| With the need for a solution, FDI Voice Emerges with | | | | numerous deadly crashes in the past few years. |
| the answer. | | | | A recently released study (PDF) by the VirginiaTech |
| One in four (26%) of American teens of driving age | | | | Transportation Institute found that truck drivers who |
| say they have texted while driving, and half (48%) | | | | were texting were 23 times more at risk of a "crash |
| of all teens ages 12 to 17 say they’ve been a | | | | or near crash event" than "nondistracted driving." As |
| passenger while a driver has texted behind the wheel. | | | | per talking on a cell phone, the same study found no |
| These findings are based on a new report from the | | | | increased risk for truck drivers and 1.3 times the risk |
| Pew Research Center’s Internet & | | | | for car drivers. There was considerably more risk |
| American Life Project that looks at teens, mobile | | | | associated with dialing while driving. The institute's |
| phones and distracted driving. The results were | | | | Richard Hanowski acknowledges that the numbers |
| derived from a telephone survey of 800 teens' and | | | | are likely to be different with car drivers. As reported |
| parents’ use of mobile phones and 9 focus | | | | by CNET's Jennifer Guevin, the study also found that |
| groups conducted in 4 U.S. cities between June and | | | | "texting took a driver's focus away from the road |
| October 2009 with teens between the ages of 12 | | | | for an average of 4.6 seconds--enough time...to travel |
| and 18. | | | | the length of a football field at 55 mph." |
| “Many teens understand the risks of texting | | | | Teens at biggest risk |
| behind the wheel,” said Amanda Lenhart, Senior | | | | When it comes to texting while driving, teens are a |
| Research Specialist at the Internet & American | | | | particular risk group considering that, according to |
| Life Project and co-author of the distracted driving | | | | Nielsen (PDF), "The average U.S. mobile teen now |
| report, “but the desire to stay connected is so | | | | sends or receives an average of 2,899 |
| strong for teens and their parents that safety | | | | text-messages per month" and apparently some of |
| sometimes takes a backseat to staying in touch with | | | | those texts are being sent and read from behind the |
| friends and family.” | | | | wheel. |
| “Cell phones are often seen as devices that can | | | | A 2007 study conducted by AAA and Seventeen |
| make our lives more efficient, allowing us to | | | | magazine has been widely misquoted as 46 percent |
| multi-task in our idle moments,” said Mary | | | | of teens admit to texting while driving. But what the |
| Madden, Senior Research Specialist and co-author of | | | | study found is that "61 percent of teens admit to |
| the report, “and whether you’re a teenager | | | | risky driving habits." Forty-six percent of that 61 |
| or an adult, it’s tempting to think you can | | | | percent say that they text message while driving. |
| manage several different activities at once.” | | | | This issue is in the news a bit more than usual these |
| For every two seconds a driver's eyes are off the | | | | days because of a shocking video created by a |
| road, a motorist is twice as likely to be involved in a | | | | police department in the UK. It depicts a teenage girl |
| crash, said Troy Green, national spokesman for AAA. | | | | texting while driving followed by a terrible crash with |
| "Texting while driving ... requires your full attention | | | | gruesome results for her friends in her car and the |
| and leaves no room for distraction," Green said. | | | | family whose car she hit. Before viewing the video |
| "You'd have to be foolish at best and delusional at | | | | (scroll down) please be aware that it is graphic and |
| worst to think you can send and receive text | | | | very disturbing. And before forwarding it to a |
| messages while operating a motor vehicle effectively | | | | teenager, also be aware that many youth risk |
| and safely.... | | | | prevention specialists question the effectiveness of |
| We believe that's something that should be banned." | | | | videos that try to use shock value to change teen |
| Texting and cell phone use have been blamed for | | | | behavior. |