Texting while driving
Teens and Social Media. How do they mix?
Texting while driving now the leading cause of teen deaths.
Texting is an especially important mode of communication for many teens; when asked, 90 % of average teens say they send and recieve, (Girls) 80 texts per day and (Boys) around 30 texts per day, but in reality these numbers are much higher. Reports from CDC or Traffic Division in the United States say that on average many teens might send upwards to 100 - 300 texts per day.
Pew Research Center has reported that teens are using their phones to record and share their daily experiences. In addition to texting, 83 % of teens use their phones to take pictures, and 64 % of teens share their pictures with others.
Texting while driving is now the leading cause of death among teens - according to Cohen Children's Medical Center, texting while driving has surpassed drinking and driving.
Disturbing figures from a report by Cohen Children's Medical Center shows.......
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More than 3,000 teens die each year in traffic accidents caused by texting while driving.
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Approximately 2,700 teens are killed in drunk driving accidents.
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More than 50 % of teens admit to texting while driving, and many of the same teens have mentioned that texting while driving is dangerous but still continue to read and send texts while driving.
In addition, Virgina Tech studies show drivers are 23 times more likely to be in an accident, if they are texting while driving.
And while all studies and surveys show that distracted driving is becoming a leading cause of deaths; drivers continue to use their devices while driving.
More than 90 % of drivers admit posting on their social media sites while being behind the wheel of their vehicle.
Having the technology (smartphones and tablets), makes life so nice -
When you think about how we are so devoted to our electronic gadgets when it comes to keeping in touch with friends, family, and closing that business deal; but we cannot lose sight of the danger associated with misuse or use of the device at inappropriate times - is real.
Is reading or posting the picture in Facebook that important?
Assuming for a moment that the shortage of hands on the wheel can be overcome, the more serious dangers come from the eye and the mind. Yes, you may be able to control both (the vehicle and the smartphone), but are you truly able to give 100 % full attention to your driving? NO.
Let me give you an example of what I am saying....
When traveling at a speed of 55 miles per hour (88.514 Km), taking the eye off the road for a mere five seconds to check an incoming text message is the equivalent of driving blindfolded across the length of a football field filled with obstacles.
The five seconds is literal eternity compared to the split second it takes to drive into one of those obstacles at 55 miles per hour.
Isn't life (yours or someone else's), more important than missing one message or business deal at that second?
The danger of texting while driving is three-fold. Stop and think about this; we only have two hands, right?
When operating our vehicle, as we have been taught during Drivers Education - "Keep both hands on the wheel".
We know this, but we find that in our mind, we can control the vehicle with one hand and operate our smartphone with the other.
Here in Indonesia it is very common to see what we call ojeks, Motorcycles that you can pay to take you to your destination. When they do use their helmets they sometimes will stick their handphone in the helmet next to their ear, so they can get that phone call.
The question I must ask you is this...
Where is your attention focused?
Resources: safety.trw.com, Virgina Tech, Pew Research Center, CDC ( Center for Disease Control and Prevention)