In early June 2011, Maine became the 33rd state to enact laws that prohibit texting while a driver is behind the wheel. Distracted driving, which includes texting and cell phone use, kills thousands each year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly 450,000 people were injured and over 5,400 were killed as a result of distracted drivers in 2009. Each day, news wires report tragic crashes resulting from distracted driving. Still, many believe that distracted driving is not a significant public safety risk.
Distracted driving is more than just talking on cell phones and texting on smart phones. Distracted driving includes any activity that takes a driver's attention away from the road. Eating, drinking, fiddling with the car radio, and even reading a book on a Kindle while operating a motor vehicle is distracted driving; however, cell phone and smart phone use has captured a great deal of national attention.
Nearly 91 percent of Americans use mobile communication devices. Cell phones and smart phones have become a common part of our modern culture by keeping teens connected to family and friends, while adults are able to conduct business, map routes and even pay bills through their phones. While drivers may be aware of the risks of this form of distracted driving, incidences are on the rise.
Various studies, including one completed by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, demonstrated that distracted driving increases crash risks. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), 1.3 million crashes each year are attributed to cell phone use alone. Interestingly, in 2010, an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) study found the anti-cell phone laws do not deter cell phone use and don't reduce the incidence of claims. Still, the NHTSA reported a significant decline in traffic fatalities last year.
While the federal government promotes various programs and several states have continued to enact specific bans, many believe that tougher measures need to be implemented. In the state of Connecticut, legislators are considering a bill calling for confiscation of cell phones in cases of ban violations.
Distracted driving is a public safety issue that has existed since cars and other vehicles have shared our roads; however, technology has compounded the problem. Until drivers take the issue seriously, distracted driving will continue to shatter lives.
