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Text driving 'worse than drunk driving'
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by LotusFlower | September 18, 2008 at 10:29 am
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Text messaging or 'texting' has led to our young people having more dextrous thumbs than any other generation before but even dextrous thumbs can't help you keep safe if you are using them to text your mates whilst driving. This research has found that texting whilst driving is even more unsafe than driving under the influence of cannabis or drinking up to the UK legal limit. Technology and in particular some aspects of mobile phone technology have turned into addictive behaviours for many young people who can't go to the toilet or even drive without texting. That text from the car to say 'be home soon' could really lead to the text-driving driver never coming home again.
Texting while driving impairs motorists more than being under the influence of drink or drugs, research suggests.
The RAC Foundation found average reaction times slowed by 35% when 17 to 24-year-olds drove in a simulator while writing or reading texts.
Nearly 50% of drivers aged between 18 and 24 texted while driving, it said.
Previous studies had found reactions were 21% slower among those who had taken cannabis and 12% slower among those who had drunk to the legal limit.
The texters also drifted out of lanes more and had poorer steering control.
The overall driving performance was poor among those tested by the Transport Research Laboratory, which also carried out the previous studies, the RAC Foundation said.
Steering control among drivers in the text test was 91% worse, compared with 35% worse for those under the influence of cannabis.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (8)
at 10:39 on September 18th, 2008
LotusFlower, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 10:57 on September 18th, 2008
thanks jarrett for the flag - i'm still a very poor 'texter' my thumbs aren't up to it - i would certainly crash if i tried texting whilst driving!
at 15:17 on September 18th, 2008
This studies are always about young people, is because old people don't use their cellphone while they drive?
As is well mentioned here, the use of the cellphone has become a habit in today's culture sometimes even an addiction. You start to use them when you are young but you carry it for your entire life (the cellphone and the addiction).
Under my opinion this test should increase the age range.
at 15:22 on September 18th, 2008
The fatal train collision a couple days back seems to have been the result of text messaging. A driver needs to be there and, while texting, isn't.
at 15:35 on September 18th, 2008
I have to admit it is pretty dangerous to text and drive. But I think i've gotten pretty good at it.
at 23:31 on September 18th, 2008
i agree - texting is certainly not confined to the young - but that figure of 54% of young people owning up to texting while driving is shocking - yes lets hear about the % of older people texting too.
at 05:21 on September 19th, 2008
This picture represents a little too much technology that was used on our recent trip.
StrebKR has contributed a photo to this story.
at 15:25 on September 24th, 2008
I do agree with you c/se i used to text and driving before but my Proffessor advised me to do not do it but still do it sometimes but im trying hard to quit.