Taking photos on Instagram, snapchatting, sending emails and text messages, all these actions are completed with the help of a smartphone. And according to the Pew Research Center, 56 percent of American adults own a smartphone. This means that these people are of driving age too. Given this high percentage of smartphone owners coupled with American’s high car ownership rates, there’s a good chance that many of these folks engaged in texting while driving at some point.
Given the pervasive influence that technology now has on most people’s lives, it now appears that it has become a relevant topic when debating the severity of texting and driving vs. drinking and driving. This debate is a daily concern because both activities have had a major impact on the number of car accidents, ranging from minor fender crashes to serious fatal car accidents. While drinking and driving has been banned in all 50 US states, there has been no texting and driving law that extends to all states.
Texting or drinking alcohol: which is more dangerous while driving?
The imbalance in the way national laws deal with these two behaviors has sparked an ongoing debate about which is worse. While both are extremely dangerous and discouraged when operating a vehicle, it can actually be determined through studies and statistics that texting and driving can be more dangerous to the individual driver, their passengers, and fellow drivers on the road.
Texting and driving has become a deadly activity by forcing drivers to take their eyes off the road and focus on another highly distracting activity. This type of distracted driving has caused nearly 6,000 deaths and more than half a million injuries reported in 2008 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
A study by the Transport Research Laboratory in London also examined the dangers of texting and driving vs. drinking and driving. By testing response times, the researchers found that those who texted while driving had 35 percent worse response times than those who drove without distractions. For those who were under the influence of alcohol, their response times were 12 percent worse than those of sober drivers. This study confirmed the belief that the risks associated with texting and driving can be even worse than drinking and driving.
In the end, just because one is worse than the other does not mean that either one should be tolerated. When driving, it is important to stay alert and practice safe driving techniques. Avoiding mixing alcohol consumption with driving and storing your cell phone behind the wheel are great ways to keep yourself, your passengers, and your fellow drivers at lower risk of harm. Drinking and texting are voluntary behaviors and it is up to you to make the right decisions when operating a vehicle. If you become a participant in these types of distracted driving, know that personal injury attorneys are always available to help you with your case.