Texting And Driving
At this point, we all know that texting while we drive is a bad idea. However, many of us just can't resist. The fact is that texting while driving leads to increased distraction and an increased risk of a collision.
Recent examples of the danger of texting while driving as follows:
On August 16, 2010, famed Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, Frank Ryan, died after he drove off of a cliff in Malibu, California. It has been widely reported that Dr. Ryan was "tweeting" at the time of the crash.
In 2008, a Union Pacific freight train and a Metrolink commuter train collided head-on in Los Angeles, California. 25 people died as a result. It was later revealed that the operator of the Metrolink train had been texting at the time of the collision and ran a red signal.
The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute has found that drivers who are texting are 23 times more likely to be involved in a collision than a driver who is not texting.
Testing done by Car & Driver found that texting and driving is more dangerous than drinking and driving.
Several states have enacted laws that would restrict or ban the use of cell phones while driving. In Florida, "Heather's Law" has been proposed. It would Prohibit the use of a cellular telephone while operating a motor vehicle except when using a headset or hands-free device. The bill was named after Heather Hurd, who was killed as a result of a collision with a truck driver who was texting while driving. Oprah Winfrey has created a website called Oprah's No Phone Zone. It is dedicated to urging everyone to put the cell phones down while driving.
