What are the statistics of texting and driving?

The National Safety Council reports that cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes each year. Nearly 390,000 injuries occur each year from accidents caused by texting while driving. 1 out of every 4 car accidents in the United States is caused by texting and driving.

How does cell phone use affect driving performance?

Psychological research is showing that when drivers use cell phones, whether hand-held or hands-off, their attention to the road drops and driving skills become even worse than if they had too much to drink.

What has the research shown about cell phone use and driving?

Drivers report they usually use hand-held phones. Two such studies found a fourfold increase in the risk of a property-damage-only crash and the risk of an injury crash associated with phone use; increased risk was similar for males and females, younger and older drivers, and hands-free and hand-held phones.

What percentage of car accidents are caused by cell phones?

It’s estimated that at least 23\% of all car accidents each year involve cell phone use – that’s 1.3 million crashes. 3,331 people were killed and 387,000 were injured in accidents involving a distracted driver. 10\% of fatal car accidents were reported to involve driver distraction.

What percent of teens use their phones while driving?

Looking at teens ages 16-17 who have a cell phone, 52\% say they have talked on a cell phone while driving. That translates into 43\% of all American teens ages 16-17. However, it is important to note that some of these teens may use hands-free devices or a speakerphone function with their cell phones.

Should there be laws against using cell phones while driving?

Texting while driving raises this level of risk exponentially. Ultimately, if the studies show that talking on a cellphone provides the equivalent impairment of having a blood alcohol level of 0.08\% — the limit to drive a car in most states — the use of cellphones while driving should be banned.

What is one unexpected problem with cell phone use?

What is one unexpected problem associated with cell phone use? It decreases the efficacy of your peripheral vision. This type of drug slows down, reduces, or dulls bodily functions.

How are cell phones distracting while driving?

Using mobile phones can cause drivers to take their eyes off the road, their hands off the steering wheel, and their minds off the road and the surrounding situation. It is this last type of distraction – known as cognitive distraction – which appears to have the biggest impact on driving behaviour.

Can you use phone while driving?

Laws by state. No state bans all cell phone use for all drivers. Thirty-six states and Washington, D.C. ban all cell phone use by newer drivers, while 19 states and Washington, D.C., prohibit any cell phone use by school bus drivers if children are present.

Who uses their phone while driving the most?

Parents with children under 18 are among the most likely to use their phones while driving, with 95\% of them using their devices at a stoplight compared to 90\% of overall drivers. In addition, 62\% of parents are more likely to use their phones with their children in the car compared to 38\% all drivers.

How many times more likely are you to crash while using phone?

Research shows: You are 4 times more likely to be in a crash if you use your phone. Your reaction times are 2 times slower if you text and drive than if you drink drive, and this increases to 3 times if you use a handheld phone.

When can you use a cell phone while driving?

18 years old
For the most part, drivers who are at least 18 years old are allowed to use hands-free phones while driving. These drivers can use a Bluetooth or other earpieces, but cannot cover both ears. The law also allows drivers 18 years or older to use the speakerphone function of a wireless phone.