Texting , or curt subject matter service ( SMS ) , is a quick form of communication that allow users to send 160 characters or less to and from their cell headphone and smartphones . A study by the Pew Research radical in 2009 and 2010 report that out of the number of Americans who havecell phones , 58 pct of adults and 66 percent of teens use them to text [ informant : Motavalli ] . With these high percentages of Americans using text messaging every year , many are fetch the habit along with them when they drive . The same Pew study designate that 34 percent of teens who use their phone for texting said they ’ve done it while drive , and 47 percent of grownup who texted tell they had done it while driving , too [ source : Motavalli ] .
In 2008 , the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ( NHTSA ) reported that almost 6,000 fatalities and over one-half of a million combat injury were due to accidents cause by number one wood who were distracted [ source : Motavalli ] . The study was n’t pore on texting , but it does show the seriousness of driving while disorder . Like many other driving distractions , texting take a certain amount of genial attention as well as forcible software which may be why 28 state have banned driver from texting while operating a fomite [ informant : Motavalli ] .
But is there really proof that texting while driving is more life-threatening than inebriated drive ? Even though research is just now being done to valuate the effects of texting while driving , some in the automotive industry and others in research circles say that texting is unquestionably more dangerous than drunk drive . Mainly because drive a number one wood ’s eyes off the road significantly cuts down on his or her power to oppose to changes .
On the next Sir Frederick Handley Page , we ’ll take a look at two specific examples of how texting has been found to impair a number one wood ’s power more than drive while drunk .
Texting While Driving is Worse Than Drunk Driving
In 2009 , Car and Driver lead a ride test with their editor - in - chieftain and an medical intern to prove or disprove that texting while aim was more life-threatening than drunk driving . The first step of their experimentation was to test and measure the chemical reaction clock time of both driver while driving sober with no distractions , and then while reading and sending text substance on their cadre telephone set . A light mounted to the front windshield model a carbrakingin front of them [ source : Austin ] .
As they learn and station textual matter messages , their response fourth dimension was measure based on the time it took between when the brake lighter issue forth on and when the machine driver applied the brakes at both 35 miles per hour ( 56.3 kilometre per hour ) and at 70 mile per hour ( 112.7 kilometers per 60 minutes ) [ source : Chang ] . Both drivers had a longer response clock time while register and send off the schoolbook message when compared to driving without any distractions . After the initial tryout , both drivers then consumedalcoholand reached the legal drive limit for intoxication in their State Department . After take to the woods the same test again while push drunk , response time for both drivers were well when the number one wood was drunk , compared to when they were reading or air schoolbook messages while sober . Car and Driver writers cite that the mental testing was execute on a closedairportrunway , with no road sign and no spell . Although this test was do on a closed course , tedious reaction sentence due to texting could result in serious consequences in real - creation driving situation .
Another test carry on by the Transport Research Laboratory in London took it a footstep further . It find that drivers who texted had dull reception sentence , were more probable to roll in and out of lanes and even drive bad than those who were push while luxuriously on marijuana [ source : Nugent ] . The cogitation found that reaction times for those who texted while driving were 35 percent worse than when they drove without any distractions at all . When repel while intoxicated , the reaction meter was only 12 percentage worse than when the driver was sober and driving without any texting distraction [ rootage : Nugent ] . The researchers also found that there was a pregnant drop-off in ability to uphold a safe driving distance between vehicle while texting and direction control drop by 91 percent compared to tug without distraction [ beginning : Nugent ] . One of the report ’s commissioner eventually close that texting while drive is one of the most dangerous thing a driver could do while behind the wheel of a car .
For more information about how texting while driving is worse than drunk driving , postdate the links on the next Sir Frederick Handley Page .
