Texting and driving may not seem like a big deal, but it only takes one time for someone to make a mistake. Safety is one of the most important precautions to take while driving, and new drivers may overlook how dangerous being distracted can be.
“11 teens die from texting and driving every day,” Groth Law Firm said.
Many teens may believe that they are careful while they’re driving, and that being on their phone doesn’t affect their driving or attentiveness on the road. But in reality, distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents.
“Distracted driving is another major cause of car crashes in the US, with over 3,000 deaths attributed to it each year,” Culbertson Agency said.
Car accidents have many other leading causes like drunk driving, speeding, drowsy driving, etc. These acts may seem much more dangerous than just texting someone or answering the phone, but how do those causes compare to distracted driving?
“The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that driving while texting is six times more dangerous than driving drunk. Reading or sending a text takes your eyes off the road for about five seconds,” Thomas, Conrad, and Conrad Law Offices said.
While distractedness has been proven to be dangerous, do students take this message seriously or ignore it?
As new drivers are learning how to operate the car and be aware of their surroundings, are they taking into consideration the dangers of distracted driving? Lola Sisler was asked if she would take the consequences of not being fully attentive while driving into consideration while learning how to drive.
“Yes, because it’s a big safety concern and I wouldn’t want to put my life on the line to answer a simple message I can always answer later,” said Sisler, a freshman.
While distracted driving may be overlooked, no matter how long a person has been driving or the amount of experience they have, they are not unaffected by the outcomes of not taking the proper precautions while they are driving.