Texting while driving really hits home...

[bettymae1121]

It is worse. AAA did a study that if you drink and drive you are 4X's as likely to get into an accident.

If you text and drive you are 8X's as likely to get into an accident.

Same study showed that talking on a cell phone, even hands free, makes you 4x more likely to have an accident. That means that talking on a cell phone is just as bad as driving drunk. But all you ever see is outrage over texting. Texting while driving is horrible, but few people realize that just talking on your blue tooth while driving is almost as bad.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

How sad

 

[Took]

Curious if the AAA study distinguished between younger and older drivers doing these activities.

Apparently,according to another study (shown on PBS but I don't remember who conducted it), adults (over 30) who talk on a cell phone and drive are not nearly as dangerous as teens and early 20's doing the same thing. The older brain is able to demonstrate less "distraction" from driving. I still think that study showed some increase in danger if one is talking on a cell phone while driving, just not nearly as much in older drivers.

Texting is an entirely different matter. I'm glad I don't have texting, actually.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

How sad. Texting while driving makes me crazy. I don't get it... what's so darn important?!! It seems like everyone here does it.

 

[FireDancer]

My mom called me yesterday and said that one of the guys that works in the emergency room where we work was killed after he was texting and speeding down the road and then flipped his car and landed 6 feet up into a tree....I can't beleive that this very smart (medical wise) person has been taken.

I wanted to share that texting while driving really can kill...


http://www.nbc-2.com/Global/story.asp?S=12195696

Unfortunately intelligence doesn't always lead to intelligent choices. I think the same thing every time I see a doctor or nurse smoking. You'd think if anyone would recognize the danger it is them.

I am a very libertarian person who thinks most things are over legislated and regulated. I don't see the regulation of driving to be one of those things. When someone is in a car they are in control of a 2 ton (or more) weapon and the concentration needed to stay in control of that weapon has to be assured. I would be for the banning of all phones while driving, including hands free talking, because it really isn't any less distracting then holding the phone to your ear. Driving should never involve multi-tasking.

 

[DBL101]

Apparently,according to another study (shown on PBS but I don't remember who conducted it), adults (over 30) who talk on a cell phone and drive are not nearly as dangerous as teens and early 20's doing the same thing. The older brain is able to demonstrate less "distraction" from driving. I still think that study showed some increase in danger if one is talking on a cell phone while driving, just not nearly as much in older drivers.

Actually, that's because the older drivers are talking to their spouse and aren't really paying any attention to them.