“Where U At,” “LOL,” “Yeah,” – they’re
hardly the most influential phrases in the English language. But for the drivers
in a new video released by AT&T as part of its campaign against texting and
driving, reading those few little snippets changed their lives; in fact, they
ended them.
From the 18-year-old with cap and gown beside her who
jumped a median and hit an overpass bridge head-on (she would have graduated the
following day), to the story of how one girl’s text contributed to her
sister’s flipping her truck into a ditch, the video contains an incredibly
powerful message: Yes, texting is as distracting as driving drunk. It takes
lives. It only takes a second to lose control.
We urge EVERYONE to watch this video and to see just how one
little text message can effect the lives of so many!!!
If watching this video affected you
like it affected us, please read the government’s research
on Distracted Driving as well as the findings
from a teen driving survey conducted by Liberty Mutual and Students
Against Destructive Decisions. Sign Oprah Winfrey’s No
Phone Zone pledge. And talk to your kids.
7 Important Facts About Texting That Could Save Your Life
Texting while
driving increases the risk of accident 23.2 times over unimpaired
driving.
Texting while
driving results in longer response times than even drunken driving. While an
unimpaired driver can respond quickly to changes in traffic and begin
braking within half a second, a legally drunk driver needs four additional
feet to begin braking—and a driver who’s texting needs 70.
In the moments
before a crash or near crash, drivers typically spend nearly five seconds
looking at their mobile devices—enough time at typical highway speeds to
cover more area than the length of a football field.
Though 95
percent of drivers surveyed said texting behind the wheel was unacceptable
and unsafe, at least 21 percent admit to doing it anyway.
Especially
amongst teens, texting results in erratic driving behavior, like lane
weaving and speeding up and down, increasing the likelihood of hurting
pedestrians and running into other vehicles.
Texting behind
the wheel is generational: 37 percent of drivers 18 to 27 admit to texting
while driving, compared to 14 percent of 28 to 44 year olds, and 2 percent
of 45 to 60 year olds.
An
accident can happen in two to three seconds while texting.
Play It Safe
With dangers like these in mind, what can drivers
constantly bombarded by incoming text messages and phone calls do to stay safe
while driving?
It’s as simple as either muting the sound or
turning the phone off every time we climb in our cars. According to the
American Automobile Association, doing so can actually decrease the risk of
accident due to texting by 50 percent.
That means fewer accidents, injuries and deaths—and
lower car insurance rates.
Resist the Urge
At the time of this writing, fourteen states and the
District of Columbia have passed laws that make texting while driving illegal.
In addition, lawmakers have proposed legislation that would require states to
ban this dangerous combination of activities or face the loss of highway
funds.
Regardless of your state’s stance on the issue,
texting while driving just isn’t safe. So take these facts to heart, turn
down the volume on your cell phone when you hit the road, and resist the urge
to text while driving.
It might just save your life; and it could definitely
save you from high auto insurance premiums
