Text Driving Worse Than DUI

An article in the New York Times looks at the dangers of text messaging while driving. The (overly?) lengthy report suggests that this growing trend is as dangerous as driving intoxicated and has already taken several lives in car accidents.

Extensive research shows the dangers of distracted driving. Studies say that drivers using phones are four times as likely to cause a crash as other drivers, and the likelihood that they will crash is equal to that of someone with a .08 percent blood alcohol level, the point at which drivers are generally considered intoxicated. Research also shows that hands-free devices do not eliminate the risks, and may worsen them by suggesting that the behavior is safe.

There’s an interesting insight into why people want to use them at the wheel. A quote from a lawmaker suggests that we are trying to overlay our hyper-connected digital lives on our lengthy dead time behind the wheel:

“I’m on the phone from when I leave the Capitol to when I get home, and that’s a two-hour drive,” said Tad Jones, the majority floor leader in the Oklahoma House, who helped block the legislation [to ban phone use while driving]. “A lot of people who travel are used to using the phone.”

Driven to Distraction – Dismissing the Risks of a Deadly Habit – Multitasking on the Road – Series – NYTimes.com