Driver inattention is a leading factor in many crashes, and cell phone use and texting are some of the most common driver distractions. While more and more states and localities are banning specific distractions, GHSA's message to all drivers is: don't use cell phones or other electronic devices while driving, regardless of the current law.

DID YOU KNOW

In 2000, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) held a workshop on distracted driving research. In the ten years that followed, electronic devices that have the potential for distraction have changed dramatically. Cell phone usage has increased exponentially.  Texting has become a standard practice, particularly among young
persons.

1. Over half of teenage drivers admit to texting while their driving. -(University of Utah)

2. A driver is 8 times more likely to cause an accident while texting -(University of Utah)

 3. 21% of 1,630,000 injury crashes involved distracted drivers –(distraction.gov 2008 report)

 4. Connecticut bans all drivers from cell phones and texting

 5. A texting driver is 20 times more likely than an attentive driver to make a critical driving error. –(Ray Lahood US Secretary of Transportation)

 6. Texting drivers not focused on the road for 4.6 seconds is like driving 55mph the length of a football field while blindfolded. -–(Ray Lahood US Secretary of Transportation)

 7. 16% of total fatalities were from crashes involving distracted driving –(distraction.gov 2008 report)

 8. Using a cell phone while driving whether it’s hand held or hands free, delays a driver’s reactions as much as having a blood concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. -(University of Utah)

 9. Driving while distracted is a factor in 25% of police reported crashes and cost society about $230 billion a year –(safetextingcampaign.com)

 10. Of all cell phone related tasks, including talking, dialing or reaching for the phone – texting while driving is most dangerous. –(safetextingcampaign.com)

 11. For every 6 seconds of drive time, a driver sending or receiving a text message spends 4.6 of those seconds with their eyes off of the road. –(safetextingcampaign.com)

 12. Text messaging alone caused more than 16,000 deaths in car accidents from 2001-2007. –(US Government Research)

 13. According to U.S government research, deaths related to cell phones and texting while driving rose 28 percent in just three years –(US Government Research)

 14. 21% of teenagers say they do ‘some texting’ while 6.4% text ‘fairly often’ --(University of Utah)

 15. Driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37% –(safetextingcampaign.com)

Be a part of the solution.  Learn more on helping raise awareness, taking an oath, or donating.

	Text Responsibly.org Share your story.  Take the Oath.  Donate Goal: To raise awareness of the dangers of texting while driving and to prevent harmful injury or death caused by the act of texting recklessly.
	Decade of Action for Road Safety Wear. Believe. Act Goal: To stabilize and then reduce the forecast level of road traffic fatalities around the world" by 2020.
	Take the Wheel.net True Life Experiences.  Wear You At.  Get in the Know. To promote teen driving safety by providing resources and information.
Click here for texting and driving saftey tips Download the Texting While Driving Safety Brochure Download the Texting & Driving Poster

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