New studies emphasize dangers of distracted driving
Two recent studies have added to the mountain of data showing that distracted driving is a major cause of car accident injuries.
The first study, which was released earlier this year by the Washington Post, said that 28% of accidents are at least partially the result of talking on a cell phone or texting. Incidents involving talking on a cell phone are still the number one type of distracted driving wrecks with about 1.4 million cases each year. Crashes caused by texting have been increasing, though, over the last few years and as many as 200,000 wrecks are blamed on texting annually. Imagine the number of lives that could be saved if everyone decided it wasn't worth the risk to drive while on the phone and we, as a nation, cut out over a quarter of our yearly accidents.
A study by Car and Driver Magazine continued the exploration of how distracted driving compares to drunk driving by impairing reaction times. According to their trials, an unimpaired driver will take 0.54 seconds to brake when faced with an unexpected obstacle. Someone who is at the legal limit of 0.08 BAC will be delayed and take, on average, an additional four feet to stop when traveling at highway speeds. While four feet may not sound like a lot, it can be the difference between a near miss and a fatal car accident.
The really shocking results came when they tested distracted drivers. Test subjects who were asked to read an email while driving added more than 30 feet to their stopping distance when at highway speeds and texters needed an additional 70 feet to stop.
Studies like these have not gone unnoticed. Many states, including Missouri, have begun to limit distracted driving by resticting texting or cell phone use for at least some drivers. Mothers Against Drunk Driving have also gotten involved and made combating distracted driving part of their group's mission.
