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Thursday, December 24, 2009

Report Shows Texting Drivers Six Times More Likely to Have an Accident

A study done by psychologists at the University of Utah shows that texting drivers are six times more likely to be involved in a motor vehicle accident than those who concentrate on the road. This adds to mounting evidence that texting while driving is an enormous threat to safety while on the road. The study involved 20 men and 20 women between the ages of 19 and 23. All were described as experienced texters who had been driving on average 4.75 years.

While the experiment was performed in a driving simulator, it shows that drivers experienced delayed reaction time and a decrease in following distance. Compared to simply driving, median reaction time increased by 30 percent while texting and nine percent while talking on a cell phone while driving. According to the study, it was also shown that texting drivers showed more impairment in forward and lateral control than drivers who were having conversations on the phone.

This study and earlier ones like it point to adults who talk on the cell phone while they drive performing as poorly as drunk driving study participants. It has also been found that around 60 percent of teens text while they drive. Both of these indicators seem to show that this technology has made the roads much less safe than they used to be. Scenarios are dependent on if the driver is composing or reading a text and how engaged they are in the conversations.

In January, the National Safety Council urged state and federal lawmakers to ban using cell phones and text messaging devices while driving, as well as urging businesses to do the same.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident caused by someone on their cell phone, please contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at the Cochran Firm. We serve clients nationwide.

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posted by Benjamin A. Irwin at 9:31 AM

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