The joy of portable devices like smart phones means that we can always be connected, respond to people who need our help, and stay on top of our work at all times.
But a couple of seconds of inattention while driving can ruin the lives of many people. I came across these startling statistics the other day:
- 23% of accidents in 2011 involved a cell phone. That’s 1.3 million collisions.
- You are 23 times more likely to have an accident if you are texting.
- In 2011, 3,331 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver, compared to 3,267 in 2010. An additional 387,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver in 2011, compared to 416,000 people injured in 2010.
- 31% of U.S. drivers ages 18-64 reported that they had read or sent text messages or email messages while driving at least once within the 30 days before they were surveyed.
Please don’t text while driving! And please talk to your children about it!
The risk outweighs the benefits massively!
