Texting and driving, otherwise known as distracted driving, is on the rise and should be a cause of concern. Texting and driving not only affects you, but affects everyone around you, even if those repercussions are not immediately visible to you. To help paint the picture in pristine detail, the staff at Inverse partnered with the US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to present to you the latest findings on why distracted driving should be on the top of your mind, by the numbers.
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According to NHTSA data, between 2012 and 2019, nearly 26,004 people died in crashes involving a distracted driver. And while fatalities from motor-vehicle crashes decreased slightly from 2018, distraction-related fatalities increased by 10% in 2019.
3,142
NHTSA also reports that the number of deaths linked to driver distraction was 3,142 nationwide, or almost 9% of all fatalities in 2019.
284
This represents a 10% increase over the year 2018, or 284 more fatalities. This distraction figure was the largest increase in causes of traffic deaths reported for 2019, showing just how critical this situation is. Texting while driving has become an especially problematic trend among younger drivers.
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In fact, 9% of drivers 15 to 19 years old involved in 2019 fatal crashes were reported as distracted. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted at the time of the fatal crashes.
The dangers go beyond the physical harm that you could cause to yourself, a loved one, a friend, or a stranger. In 48 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, texting while driving is an illegal, ticketable offense. You could end up paying a hefty fine and get points on your license.
So, what should you do if no matter what, you can’t seem to stop yourself from reaching over and checking that latest text? Here are a few simple suggestions to start with that will make your distracted driving a thing of the past.
- If you are expecting an urgent text message or need to send one, pull over and park your car in a safe location. Once you are safely off the road and parked, it is safe to text responsibly.
- If you have passengers in your vehicle, assign one of them as your “designated texter.” Allow them access to your phone to respond to calls or messages so that you can focus on driving and nothing else.
- If you’re still struggling to not reach over and grab your phone, activate your phone’s “Do Not Disturb” function, or even better, put your phone somewhere you can’t reach, like your car’s trunk, glove box, or back seat.
You’ll still be able to feel that tiny thrill of catching up with all of your friends and notifications after you’ve safely arrived at your destination. And while texting is the most alarming distraction, there’s also absolutely no reason to engage in other forms of social media scrolling while driving as well. These activities divert your attention just as much as texting does; no social media post is worth changing the course of your life.
From April 8-12, 2021, law enforcement officers will be conducting enhanced enforcement of texting and distracted driving laws. If you’re driving and texting, there’s an incredibly high likelihood that you will be pulled over during these dates
Does that mean these are the only dates that you should put down your phone while you’re in the car? Absolutely not. It’s time for distracted drivers to stop giving themselves a personal exemption to behave so irresponsibly. It’s quite simple. If you’re texting, you’re not driving. Save your texts for after your drive. U Drive. U Text. U Pay.
