The Dangers of Texting While Driving

Across all ages, texting is more popular than ever before. Since texting is a common way of communicating, it is only natural that drivers are tempted to text and drive at the same time. However, doing so can lead to distracted driving and also can lead to an Austin car crash.

Texting while driving is defined as driving a motor vehicle while at the same time using a mobile phone for texting, emailing, searching the web, reading, or other similar actions. In its broadest form, the definition includes when vehicles are at rest. Or, in other words, it includes anytime someone is texting while at a stop sign, in traffic, or at a stop light.

In a recent study, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that cell phone use causes 16 percent of fatal roadway accidents. As a result, it is no surprise that texting while driving is already or soon to be outlawed in many states. In fact, since September 2009, phone use in Texas school areas is illegal—and since January 2010, texting while driving in Austin has been banned.

The dangers of texting while driving are often underestimated. This is possibly the reason so many drivers make the fatal decision to text while driving. Because of the high risk, there are a variety of published studies that evaluated the danger of driving while texting. It has been reported that

Your eyes are off of the roadway for an average of 4.6 seconds when you text. At a speed of 55 mph, this is equivalent to driving about 100 yards, or the length of a football field
You are 23 times more likely to be in a crash while you are texting
40% of teens in the United States have been in a dangerous driving situation that was caused by use of a cell phone
Reading a text can dramatically decrease your reaction time
Texting while driving can impair stopping times and distances as much as driving under the influence

If you have been hit by a driver who was texting while driving or if you need help after being in an Austin car wreck, contact us today. For a free consultation, call Straight Law at 512.454.1331. Visit Straight Law’s website to download our book, Texas Accident Law and You: 8 Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Making Them.

Earl K. Straight serves victims of Texas car and truck accidents in Austin, Round Rock, Bastrop, Cedar Park, Buda, Kyle, Taylor, and elsewhere in Travis County, Williamson County, Hays County, Lee County, and Burnet County, including accidents on I-35, Highway 1 (Mopac Expressway), Highway 183, and other Texas roadways.