Back to School – Teach Young Drivers About Texting and Driving

  September 19, 2016

Now is traditionally the time of year when everyone goes back to school. If you have a young driver, or a student who’s just received a learner’s permit in your life, now is a good time to educate them about safe driving. In addition to being educated on things like safe following distance, how to check the oil, and how to handle a blowout, today’s new drivers need to be schooled on the subject of texting and driving. Whether texting, making a call, or playing music, cell phone use while driving is a very distracting and dangerous temptation that student must learn to manage.

Texting and driving is a problem that impacts everyone, from passengers in the texting driver’s car to nearby vehicles and pedestrians. A lot can happen in the time it take to look at a text. Studies have shown that the minimum amount of time a driver is distracted by a text is five seconds, the amount of time that is takes to travel the length of a football field.

Drivers of all ages can be guilty of texting and driving, as you can see any time you are on the road. The problem does seem to be more prevalent with young people, who tend to be more engaged in constant cell phone usage.  Younger people also tend to be less mindful of their vulnerability.

An infographic on the advocacy website Texting and Driving Safety provides some stunning statistics regarding texting and teen driving:

  • 77% of young adults are very or somewhat confident that they can safely text while driving
  • 55% of young adult drivers claim it is easy to text while they drive

Though they may not admit it, there is a problem:

Teens who text while driving spend approximately 10% of driving time outside of their lane.

13% of drivers 18-20 involved in car wrecks admitted to cell phone use at the time of the crash.

If you have a young driver you can mentor in your life, you will find a lot of great information to share on the Texting and Driving Safety website. You can also find a lot of powerful videos on the subject by searching “texting and driving”.

Take time to talk to the young drivers in your life and set a good example for them. Remember, no amount of age or experience makes texting and driving safe.