05/02/2021
Is distracted driving deadlier than drunk driving?
Distracted driving is dangerous, and unfortunately, quite common. Most drivers view texting and driving to be a serious threat, yet one out of three admit to doing it. This growing problem affects drivers of all ages, as well as unsuspecting cyclists and innocent pedestrians. The behavior is so common that most people may not be aware of the impacts texting has on the brain. Even more, that combining texting with driving is a recipe for disaster far deadlier than drunk driving.
In an annual survey conducted by the Traffic Safety Culture Index, 85% of drivers view distracted driving as a more significant problem today, with 97% viewing texting as the most serious form of distracted driving. Of this same survey, 45% admit to reading a text or sending an email while driving within the past month. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) calls distracted driving a dangerous epidemic. Texting while driving leads to more than 420,000 injuries and over 3,100 deaths every year in the United States. Unfortunately, texting while driving fatalities did not just claim the lives of people in the vehicles. It is estimated that 1 in 5 of the people who died were not in the car- they were walking, riding their bikes, or outside the vehicle (CDC, 2021). While most drivers see this to be a problem, why are some drivers still okay with engaging in this behavior?
One problem is that most people think that taking their eyes off the road for just 'a second' is no big deal or that they are capable of reading a text while driving because they can 'multitask.' As it turns out, driving is six times more dangerous than driving under the influence (FCC Foundation). According to the NHTSA, texting while driving slows reactions to dangerous levels, even lower than alcohol. The Transport Research Laboratory found that typing a text message can slow a driver's reaction by 35%, while drinking slows reactions by just 12%. When someone is unable to respond, it can lead to dire consequences, such as barreling through a red light, veering into oncoming traffic, or colliding with a child who darts across the street.
Another problem is that texting while driving is not considered an impairment by legal standards. To drive drunk is universally known to be dangerous, socially irresponsible, and deserving of harsher punishments. In the United States, a driver is legally 'under the influence' if their BAC is at or above .08. This level defines that the driver is impaired and incapable of operating a vehicle at a safe level and is considered a danger to others. Recent studies conclude that cognitively demanding tasks, such as texting, create an impairment equivalent to a BAC of .07 to .10. Research findings suggest that texting while driving is a form of impairment that poses a danger to road safety.
Finally, texting while driving can occur at any time of day but poses the most significant risk during peak travel hours when people are running errands or heading to or from work or school. According to the NHTSA, two-thirds of fatal crashes that are alcohol-related occur between midnight and 3 a.m. While both alcohol-related and texting behaviors are a concern, it is clear that texting poses a greater risk due to the time of day when more drivers or pedestrians are out.
Through national education campaigns, harsher restrictions, and increased penalties, alcohol-related accidents have decreased by a third. While most states have banned texting and driving, it is time for harsher punishments and more regulation. A driver suspected to be intoxicated is pulled over and arrested. But what about texting and driving? Does this behavior warrant harsher penalties, including arrest or higher fines? Using science and research, it is believed that texting while driving is deadlier than driving while drunk and stronger enforcement, regulation and education is needed to draw attention to a growing, and dangerous behavior.
