Study Shows Texting While Driving Can Drastically Reduce Reaction Time

January 01, 2012

Study Shows Texting While Driving Can Drastically Reduce Reaction Time

Distraction.gov -- the U.S. government's official website for distracted driving -- reports that 5,474 people were killed in distracted driving related crashes in 2009, and nearly 448,000 more were injured.

There are many ways a driver might be distracted while behind the wheel, but research suggests that no distraction is more dangerous than sending or receiving a text message. Sending or receiving text messages requires visual, manual and cognitive focus from a driver, thereby making it one of the biggest threats to roadway safety -- one that is only getting worse.

According to the International Association for the Wireless Telecommunications Industry, 196 billion text messages were sent in June 2011. This marked a 50 percent increase from two years earlier, and undoubtedly several billion of these messages were sent by people as they drove.

Study Reinforces the Dangers of Texting While Driving

NBC reports that Texas A&M University's Texas Transportation Institute recently discovered a person could travel the length of an entire football field in the time it takes to read or send a text. If a driver was going above 55 miles per hour, however, the distance could be even farther.

The study tested drivers between the ages of 16 and 54 and asked them to respond to a light that would flash at random. Drivers who were not distracted by text messages had an average reaction time of approximately two seconds, while distracted drivers (those sending or receiving a text message) took nearly four full seconds to react. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, someone typing or reading a text message is 23 times more likely to get into a car crash than a driver who is paying full attention to the road. Needless to say, those few seconds are significant.

California Responds to Dangers of Texting

In recent years California has outlawed hands-on operation of mobile devices while driving a vehicle. In fact, the law only allows the use of a wireless phone that is specifically designed to use hands-free listening and talking. Anyone found to be in violation of this law will be subject to a ticket and a fine.

You may be entitled to compensation if you were injured in a car accident. Speak with a qualified California personal injury attorney to discuss your case and potential legal options.

Article provided by Elia J. Castranova
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