The US Government just released the findings of a study of the effects of texting while driving. In 2008, there were about 6,000 fatalities due to drivers getting in accidents while texting. To put this in perspective, there are about 13,000 fatalities resulting from alcohol-impaired drivers (http://www.alcoholalert.com/drunk-driving-statistics.html). While the rate of texting-related deaths increased 26% from 2005 to 2008, the rate of alcohol-related deaths decreased 17% (if I did my math correctly. I'm a fuzzie, not a techie.) That means that due to the increasing rates of death from texting and the decreasing rates of alcohol related deaths, deaths from texting may overcome those caused by drunk driving. So what does this all mean? Essentially, in the future due to my "mathematical" predictions, texting while driving will become a larger threat to lives than drunk drivers. Wow.
This scares me. This reveals a few things to me:
Like the extremely effective anti-tobacco ads, MADD has done its work. Driving while drunk has become (and rightfully so) stigmatized. I assume that the reason for this is that alcohol has been here forever, giving humans times to develop social rules surrounding it, like not to drive under the influence. Texting, however, as a relatively modern phenomenon, has not yet developed the same etiquette rules as the rules surrounding the drink. Therefore, people don't associate as negative a stigma against texting while driving. Maybe it's time to start.
16,000 deaths since 2001 is 16,000 deaths too many.
Soon texting will surpass drunk drivers as the main cause of driving fatalities. Just because MADD hasn't attacked you doesn't mean that it's ok. Please, put the cellphone away when you're driving, or pull over to use it.
Love, The Power Gay
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9 comments:
Stats do show that the younger generation does not drink as much as the older generations (http://www.gallup.com/poll/17440/Fewer-Young-Adults-Drinking-Excess.aspx), which may contribute to the increase in death by text and decrease in fatality by drunk driving. I have not found a statistic to back up my next statement but it is common belief that on average the younger generations text more often then the older generations. If that is true it would make sense that an increase in accidents that have a texting involvement is becoming noticeable. Even though drunk driving is on the decline I don't believe that it will never be a issue because alcohol is such a huge part of our social culture that no matter how technologically advanced society may become, we will always need some kind of legal nummer(or in some cases illegal nummer). But there is hope. According to a survey that can be found on this link, http://www.responsibilityproject.com/resources/teen-driving-survey#fbid=grajBSkBbgR, teenagers are not afraid to speak out when they feel that a peer driver is not making safe decisions. Though its a survey and I wasn't able to find the exact questions that they asked, its still a step forward. It seems like all the speak up commercials that are periodically shown are starting to pay off.
It's interesting, I just had a conversation with my friend today about how vehemently opposed to drunk driving we are. I think the generation is certainly more conscious of the effects of drunk driving, perhaps, than previous generations and I find that your assertion is safe to make.
Business people need to 'hit the ball over the net'. Teens consider it rude not to reply immediately to texts. Home schedules would grind to a halt without immediate communication. We are conditioned to pursue this level of efficiency but we are all supposed cease this behavior once we sit in our respective 5,000 pound pieces of steel and glass. Anyone can win an argument in a forum like this by saying "Just put the phone away" - but we can see its just not happening.
I just read that 72% of teens text daily - many text more 3000 times a month. New college students no longer have email addresses! They use texting and Facebook - even with their professors. This text and drive issue is in its infancy and its not going away.
I decided to do something about it after my three year old daughter was nearly run down right in front of me by a texting driver . Instead of a shackle that locks down phones and alienates the user (especially teens) I built a tool called OTTER that is a simple app for smartphones. I think if we can empower the individual then change will come to our highways now and not just our laws.
Erik Wood, owner
OTTER LLC
OTTER app
Footnote:
- http://www.prlog.org/10871927.html
Well first of all, I'm extremely glad that your daughter was NOT hit by a texting driver. I agree, Erik, that something more needs to be done. I do believe, however, that change can come through effective social work, good campaigning, and education. Take for instance the anti-tobacco campaigns that have been incredibly effective in the US. Or more relevant to this discussion, the ads that speak out and educate against drunk driving. Such campaigns have been effective historically in REDUCING these things. I do believe the same can be done with texting, but the only issue now is that there hasn't been that much visible campaigning against texting while driving. That being said, apps such as yours and new, effective ways to deal with texts certainly can help, so I commend your work!
However, I would disagree that one should not be shackled down in terms of texting while driving. I think that if a text is that important to an individual, he or she can pull over and text instead of threatening other people's lives. And I'm glad you have an app that can help that. I just took a look at the press release and I think that's a wonderful and effective solution! Congratulations on your efforts and best of luck to you!
I Must have been reading the same findings, if not similar ones the other day. This is so shocking! I mean it's hard enough to look at the boggling number of drunk driving deaths, and then to think that texting while driving deaths could reach even higher...WOW! In a sense I believe that this statistic is sadly going to be the "new" drunk driving. If we think about it,in order to text most people have to take their eyes off the road. Whereas if alcohol is to blame, at least your eyes are still on the road even if it is not your best vision. Just put the phones down!
~Emily Zelter
I definetly believe that texting while driving is the new DUI. People overestimate their abilities and text much too often while they drive. It's extremely dangerous, and studies have shown that people can't multitask as well as they think they can. It's not a good idea to take your eyes off the road just to text "lol" or something along those lines.
People need to stop jeopordizing their lives and the lives of others in order to return something as little as a text message.
From just being on the street, I usually always see teens texting, and a law for this would not really be effective- I believe. Whenever you come about to a stop sign while driving, you can simply just put the cellphone down, the same it goes with when you see a cop hidden or on the freeway.Yes, many people do text, at sometimes it does have to do with Family schedules , but it isn't that hard to pull over and text, it may take longer to get to your destination, but it is much safer than looking like a bobblehead, looking up and down. People just need to let go of the cellphone for a few minutes, so that the road can be at least a little safer.
I myself, do not text, so i dont really know how it effects on my driving, but i do see how it can be fatal considering teens these days text more than they call. The point of no calling while driving is so that drivers dont get distracted, but many people do not consider texting as distracting ...which i find their logic really amusing. THe biggest problem that should be targeted is to get people aware of the harmful effects of texting while driving, and if it needs to be inforced by a law, then so be it.
I do not agree that texting while driving will eventually lead to more deaths than driving. But I do agree that it is scary that the percentage of people dying from texting while driving is rising. An explanation to why dying from drunk driving is decreasing is probably because law enforcement is becoming stricter in catching drunk drivers. But I believe that law enforcement is not really paying attention in catching people texting while driving because the law isn't very old and I believe that the cops do not really check for the eyes of the people who are driving. But I believe that texting while driving is a bad habit, and that we should not do it because it keeps our eyes away from the road.
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