Submitted by Aiken Jacobsen on
Texting while driving is a very dangerous behavior and increases the chances of being in a car accident. In an effort to reduce the risks associated with texting behind the wheel, California banned texting while driving in 2009.
Despite the state banning the behavior, a new survey found that more drivers are texting behind the wheel since the ban. More people are using smartphones now than in 2009, and many smartphones are more affordable so many drivers in the U.S. currently have a smartphone that can not only text but access the Internet.
The survey by the AAA of California found that texting while driving has increased since 2009 but fewer drivers are using handset-to-head cellphone devices since that was banned in 2008. The survey reported that roughly four percent of drivers in California text behind the wheel compared to only one-and-a-half percent before the law went into effect.
The AAA said that more people are texting than they were in the past, which explains both the increase of drivers texting and the decrease of drivers using handsets behind the wheel. It has also been difficult for police to enforce the texting ban in California because it is hard to distinguish if a driver is dialing to make a phone call or if they are texting. Dialing and answering phone calls are still legal in the state.
The increase in people texting while driving in California is a very scary finding. Texting while driving increases the risk of being in a crash because it takes the driver's focus and attention away from the road and forces them to unsafely multi-task. Texting while driving should be avoided. Not only is it illegal but it significanlty increases the chances of being in a car accidentthat could result in serious or fatal injuries to everyone involved in the accident.
Source: LA Weekly, "Car Texting More Popular After It's Outlawed," Dennis Romero, Aug. 12, 2013
