Is Texting and Driving as Dangerous as Drunk Driving?

Commentary Regarding The Dangers Of Texting and Driving

What is the likelihood of getting in an accident if you text and drive?

According to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, if a driver texts as he or she is driving, it’s 23 times likelier that there will be an accident. Even a basic message with acronyms can be sufficiently distracting.

Since a majority of young people today are most comfortable using text messaging to communicate, it’s not surprising that cell phones and teen drivers are dangerous and sometimes lethal combination.

Recent studies have shown that that young people ranging from 15 to 20 years of age die most frequently because of traffic accidents. Additionally, a lot of serious injury accidents stem from people using hand-held cell phones.

Teens Texting While Driving Can Be Fatal

Not too long ago, a teen in Miami was texting and driving; this resulted in an accident that killed one person and seriously injured another. This teenager was seen driving recklessly, meaning more than 60 MPH, and texting while in a 40 MPH zone. It was later determined that the teen was an avid texter, as he had exchanged 127 messages that very day. He sent his last message just two minutes prior to the paramedics being called.

As a result of this teenager texting, while driving, a man was seriously injured, and his wife (a mother of two) was killed. The victim’s family just received a judgment for $8.8 million.

Texting Distracts Your Driving

When a driver texts and drives, his or her attention is distracted and reaction time is delayed — meaning more traffic accidents.

The courts have determined that when texting while driving causes a traffic accident, it is deemed gross negligence. When charged with gross negligence, a person can be sued for punitive and compensatory damages via a personal injury lawsuit.

Texting while you drive is equal to drunk driving

It’s been proven that driving and using a cell phone impairs a driver’s ability to react just as if he or she had a .08 blood alcohol level. If you need to communicate with someone, simply stop on the side of the road where it’s safe, carry out your communication, and then get back on the road after your conversation is over.

If you are involved in a text while driving vehicle accident, contact my office for superior representation. Your consultation is free of charge and you will not have to pay a penny out of your pocket unless we win your case. If your injuries prevent you from coming to us, we will come to you.