Teens Texting and Driving: Get The Facts and Statistics Here!
We all know that teenagers are attached to their cell phones, which is why texting and driving is such a major concern. Most teens don’t see the true danger of texting while driving, as these texting and driving facts for teens will show. Distracted driving is a hot button topic issue, especially when it comes to the younger generations.
The Worst Offenders
We have all used our cell phone while behind the wheel, but TeenSafe reported that teen drivers are the worst offenders. That is a scary thought, as distracted driving is risky and dangerous on its own. However, combine that with the inexperience of a teen driver and we are talking about a very dangerous combination.
Distracted Driving Statistics
It is common knowledge that distracted driving is dangerous, but just how dangerous is it? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 10% of all fatal crashes and 15% of all injury crashes were caused by distracted drivers. To add to that, 9% of drivers between the ages of 15-19 involved in fatal crashes were distracted at the time of the accident. In 2015, just under 3,500 people were killed in distracted driving accidents. Also, 391,000 people were injured in distracted driving crashes in 2015. That tells us that distracted driving is a huge problem facing our society.
Texting and Driving Slows Down The Brain
Do you truly know what effect texting and driving has on your brain? The human brain, despite us thinking otherwise, is only programmed to do one thing at a time. People, especially teens, who think they can multitask and be functional are wrong. When you attempt to do two things at one time, like texting while driving, this slows down your reaction time.
With your reaction time slower, this means your brain is taking a longer amount of time to process your surroundings. There is research to back this up too! This research shows that the activity in this part of the brain slows down by about 33% when the driver is being distracted by their cell phone. To sum it up, the driver can’t process and respond as quickly when they are multitasking.
Drinking and Driving Is Worse?
When you think of texting and driving versus drinking and driving, most people consider drinking and driving to be worse. That is not always the case! One study found that distracted drivers experience a 35% decline in reaction time, which is huge. However, drunk drivers were experiencing a 12% decline. Also, distracted drivers were more likely to change speeds, drift into another lane or abruptly slam on their brakes than drunk drivers. Both are unsafe, but showing a teenager that distracted driving is more dangerous than drinking and driving may help open their eyes to this issue. That is why our events at the Arrive Alive Tour as so critical!
Teens Texting and Driving Facts and Statistics
- 94% of teens acknowledge that texting while driving is dangerous. However, 35% of teens still text while driving!
- Teen drivers are 4x more likely than adults to get into car accidents while using their cell phone.
- One out of every 4 car accidents in the U.S. is caused by texting and driving.
- Cell phone use is highest among 16-24 year old drivers.
Sources: Edgar Snyder & Associates, DoSomething.org, HuffPost
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