Study Shows Large Crash Risk for Texting Drivers

July 2009

As texting grows increasingly popular among young and old drivers alike, more attention has been drawn to the dangers of texting while driving. A new study has shown that those who text while driving have a crash risk 23 times greater than those who don’t engage in the risky behavior.

In the study long-haul trucks were fitted with video cameras to record drivers’ texting habits over the course of 18 months. Researchers found that before a crash or near-crash, truckers took their eyes off the road and looked at their phone for five seconds. When driving at highway speeds, five seconds equals the length of a football field.

A recent AAA study revealed that although 95 percent of respondents consider texting unacceptable while driving, 21 percent admit to committing the offense. Fourteen states have banned texting while driving, but the study authors encourage everyone to avoid the practice, regardless of their state’s laws.