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| Quite possibly as dangerous as driving drunk |
Some key numbers
from the report, which you can read
here:
- 18 percent of drivers said they’ve sent texts or emails while driving
- Half of drivers aged 21 to 24 said they’ve texted while driving
- At any giving time, almost 1 percent of drivers are texting
According to the
Associated Press story, other places in America saw reductions in this behavior
by drivers after new laws were passed.
Pilot projects
in Hartford, Connecticut and Syracuse, New York showed a reduction after a
public education campaign was coupled with police enforcement.
Driving While
Texting dropped by a third in Syracuse.
It was cut by 57
percent in Hartford, Connecticut.
Here in Washington state, we responded by passing a law banning texting while
driving.
It will be
interesting to see how our state’s latest numbers compare to the national
report.
The AP story
quotes a spokesman for the Governor’s Highway Safety Association, Jonathan
Adkins, as saying enforcement is the best approach: "It is clear that
educational messages alone aren't going to change their behavior. Rather, good
laws with strong enforcement are what is needed. Many drivers won't stop
texting until they fear getting a ticket. The increase shows what an uphill
challenge distracted driving remains."
To read this blog
post in Spanish, click here.
