TeenTexting While Driving Causes Accidents
Teenager's texting while driving has become a growing concern amongst parents and the society in general. Texting while driving is a very dangerous habit, although most people fail to realize it. Texting while driving significantly shifts the focus of the driver from the road to the cell phone; which may ultimately lead to fatal accidents. Certain states have already introduced relevant legislation to discourage drivers from using their cell phones while driving. Teenagers are undoubtedly more prone to this habit.
An estimated 45% of all the teenagers aged sixteen to seventeen have admitted to texting at some point while driving a car as revealed by the survey conducted by the Automobile Association of America. An added 38% of around nine hundred teenagers surveyed, had checked text messages while driving, although they deemed it quite risky. It has also been found that texting while driving is one of the most dangerous and distracting acts while driving. This is evident from the fact that every year around 330,000 people suffer from accidents related to cell phones. Additionally, around 2000 people die every year due to cell phone induced accidents.
Texting and driving is very dangerous as opposed to other habits; such as eating or smoking. This is because when you text someone, you need to give strong mental and visual attention to the cell phone. It is further fueled by the fact that teenagers lack sufficient experience of driving, which makes them even more prone to causing serious accidents while texting. Teenagers fail to ascertain the risk involved in this activity and are therefore more likely to carry on with it. Nowadays, teenagers are growing up with texting as a primary method of communication, which makes it even more difficult to avoid.
To minimize and ultimately purge this habit, teenagers need to be educated regarding the risks involved in texting and driving. "Safe Driving" methods must be introduced to the teenagers. Some cell phone operators have also considered jamming the cell phones, but the most viable option seems to be educating them about the risks as jamming devices are banned in America. Parents undoubtedly can also play a significant role in educating their children regarding the risks of texting while driving. Teenagers who are trained from an early age are less likely to behave in such a manner when they drive. Meanwhile, government initiatives to educate the teenagers through relevant advertisements, posters, banners and videos can also be of significant help.