Jump to content
American Road Magazine
Celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear…And the joys of driving them today!

Texting Drivers More Dangerous Than Drunks.


Recommended Posts

I just read a startling statement on page 3 of the Spring 2011 issue of AT&T magazine.

 

"Even occasional texting (such as when stopped at a red light) makes a driver 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash." AT&T to their credit is attempting to educate drivers of the risk in this behavior. Kudo's to AT&T.

 

A drinking driver at the legal limit in Washington (.08) is 11 times more likely to be involved in a crash than a sober driver. So texting, even occasional while driving is twice as dangerous as driving legally drunk. Wow!

 

Given that most of us abhor the idea of driving drunk, it looks like we also need a MADD type campaign against texting. I followed for a couple of miles behind a young woman the other day who was having problems staying in her lane and on the road. I spotted a sheriff and he stopped her. Maybe she was drunk, but now I'm wondering if she was texting.

 

I have noted a couple of recent auto deaths locally where the driver's last act was sending a routine text message, but I had no idea how impaired these people are. Let's be sure we don't let our friends and loved ones drive texting impaired....and I'm not joking. Driving deaths and injury aren't funny.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

This finding doesn't surprise me.

 

I had stopped at my local mechanic's place to have my '79 CC checked out for something, and ended up talking to an older gentleman (I believe in his late 70s or early 80s) that had brought his 1990s-era Lincoln Town Car in for some minor repairs/adjustments. He had just bought it to replace another 1990s-era Lincoln Town Car of his, one he had brought brand new but had just been totaled. He was on a stretch of Randall Rd in this area. The light had just turned green and, as he was starting to move forward, he was rear-ended by a car going 50 mph. The gal, out driving during her college's spring break, had been texting and didn't bother to notice the stoplight. The impact crunched the back of his TC and shoved it over an embankment, separating the 2 directions of Randall Rd. He was OK, but his car was totaled ... as was hers. According to him, the "jaws of life" had to be used to get her out of the car, as her engine had been pushed through the dashboard. She was OK, though. I told him to imagine what that impact would've been ... if the embankment hadn't been there (it had just been installed by the county nearly 2 years prior) OR ... if he had still been at a stop.

 

*shudders*

 

 

 

Cort | 37.m.IL.pigValve.pacemaker | 5 Monte Carlos + 1 Caprice Classic | * meet_07.30.11_Cold.Treat *

MCs.CC + CHD.models.HO.legos.RadioShows + RoadTrips.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"Something's wrong in the world today" __ Aerosmith __ 'Living On The Edge'

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...