I participated in a driving event in Las Vegas this last week and the subject of texting and driving came up one night at dinner. The conversation shocked me.
First, I think it’s fairly evident from my blog that I’m a safety fanatic. That comes with living with someone for 32 years that sees the outcome of not putting safety first every single day on the job; so maybe I’m more in tune to the issues than others. Still, after the dinner I was left shaking my head in wonder.
You see at dinner I found out there are still states that allow texting and driving. I was beyond shocked. Not only is it legal in some states, there are others that allow adults to text and drive, but not teens. Even worse, every single person at the table admitted that they text and drive and that if a law was passed to ban it in all 50-states, they would just become more crafty at doing it undetected, which they believe would lead to more accidents than just allowing it.
I was dumbfounded. To think that these adults would put the safety of others aside so that they could text is nonsense. But it turns out the table of media professionals I shared a meal with is not alone in their refusal to see that texting and driving is dangerous.
AT&T recently conducted a survey on texting and driving and found the following:
- Over 49% of commuters admitted to texting while driving. That’s higher than the teen rate of 43%.
- Texting is increasing. Six out of 10 commuters said they began texting while driving within the last three years.
- The vast majority of commuters, 98%, know the risks and yet they continue to text and drive.
- Over 40% admit texting while driving is habitual.
Texting and Driving Kills
I’m stunned, saddened, and mad. If texting and driving only affected the person doing it, I’d say go for it. It’s your funeral. But that’s not the case. Your distracted driving can kill me or those I love.
I support AT&T’s “Texting & Driving … It Can Wait” program. During the month of April, AT&T is calling on employers to help end texting while driving and move their employees beyond awareness to actually making a personal commitment not to text and drive.
Please. Make your own personal commitment to put the health and wellness of others above texting. Go to ItCanWait.com to take the pledge to never text and drive, and if you’re an AT&T customer, download their AT&T DriveMode®no-texting-while-driving app* which prevents you from sending or receiving texts while driving while still allowing you to make an emergency call if necessary.
Not an AT&T customer? Check with your provider to see if they offer a similar app. If not, request one!
For more information, please visit ItCanWait.com.
Sources:
- 1 Commuter survey conducted by ResearchNow on behalf of AT&T http://www.att.com/Common/about_us/pdf/twd_commutor_survey.pdf
- 2 Teen survey conducted by Beck Research on behalf of AT&T http://www.att.com/Common/about_us/txting_driving/att_teen_survey_executive.pdf
- *AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
- *Data and text messaging charges may apply for download and app usage. Standard messaging rates apply to auto-reply messages. AT&T DriveMode® is free to AT&T customers only. Compatible device required
:me:
39 States in the US has banned text messaging to all drivers . Most of them are primary law which means drivers will be ticketed by an officer due to this offense without any other traffic violations. The existence of these laws proved that texting and driving are dangerous and it could result to injury and loss of life. I still see a number of people with this habit.
Seeing people text and drive is a huge pet peeve of mine. It is so dangerous!
I don’t EVER do this. I think it is morally wrong to do anything to endanger others while driving.
That is so scary…. and sad. As adults we should be setting good examples. It bothers me too, that not all states have a complete ban on it. I am definitely glad I live in a state that bans it completely.
Texting and driving is just as bad as driving drunk. I think it is so awful that people think that it is okay to text and drive. It is against the law to talk and text on a cell phone in my state, but every day I see tons of people doing this dangerous habit of texting while driving. People are getting killed from this bad habit! It needs to stop!