Risks of Texting & Driving

There is universal agreement that texting and driving is a deadly activity. A recent study released by Car and Driver Magazine shows that texting while driving is actually a far riskier activity than drunk driving.

To study this, the magazine rigged a car with a light that alerted drivers of when to brake. It then tested them under a variety of conditions, including when fully alert and sober, when drunk and when engaged with their cell phones. The safest activity was, unsurprisingly, the sober and alert driving. However, texting drivers performed far worse than their drunk counterparts. On average, it took drivers an additional 70 feet to brake when they were texting and driving as compared to those who were sober and cell-phone free.

The results of the study are in line with findings by the National Traffic Safety Administration, which has found that texting while driving is upwards of six times more dangerous than drunk driving. When a driver is texting, he or she takes his or her eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. If traveling at 55 mph, this is the amount of time it takes to travel the length of a football field.

Texting and driving kills and injures people every year. On average, 3,000 people die and an additional 333,000 are injured from this activity. Victims are not just those who are using their phones, but also the innocent people with whom they share the road.

It is important for everyone to be careful behind the wheel. If you have been injured due to someone else’s negligence, such as texting and driving, you may have the right to legal compensation. Schedule a free initial consultation with the knowledgeable South Carolina personal injury attorneys at John Price Law Firm, LLC to learn more.

Call today for a confidential consultation! 843.212.4774.