Driving While Texting: Is It Really That Bad?

Thirty four states and the District of Columbia currently have laws on the books prohibiting people from driving while texting. In 31 of those states, it's considered a primary offense, which means an officer can pull you over just for texting. Don't think that means people aren't still doing it—a study released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in December of 2011 reveals that the percentage of drivers who texted while driving actually increased from 0.6 % of drivers in 2009 to 0.9 % in 2010. In New York, where texting and driving was only made a primary offense in July 2011, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) had issued 4,634 tickets for the crime by the middle of September.

If so many of us are doing it, can texting while driving be that dangerous? The answer, unfortunately, is a resounding yes. In the same study that revealed the percentage of drivers who text and drive, the NHTSA found that reading or writing texts behind the wheel increases your chances of having an accident by 2300%! About 6,000 deaths and a half a million injuries are caused by distracted drivers every year. Many of these deaths involve accidents with large truck drivers. In general, an accident involving a truck is more likely to result in a fatality, due to the sheer size of the vehicle. When you also consider the fact that a distracted truck driver is 23.2 times more likely to crash than a driver paying full attention to the road, you quickly see how deadly a problem it can become.

The danger is so real that technology developers are doing their best to fight fire with fire—Text Zapper, a new app available for smartphones, which disables them from sending messages while vehicles are in motion, using Trakker GPS technology to determine the speed and position of the car. Of course, for apps such as Text Zapper to work, people actually have to download them.

Until drivers take the initiative and recognize on their own the dangers of driving while texting, everyone on the road is at risk of having a car accident with a distracted driver. If you have been injured in a car or truck accident involving a distracted driver, you need a Houston personal injury attorney to protect your interests and make sure your medical bills are covered. An attorney from Arnold & Itkin will know the answers to your questions, like "will I be able to pick my own doctor?" and will fight to make sure your needs are met and your voice is heard. Contact a Houston injury lawyer from Arnold & Itkin today for a free consultation.