Texting Teen Drivers Engage in Other Risks
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Texting while driving increases a teenager’s chances of getting into an accident.
But, according to a study from the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teens who text while behind the wheel are also taking other risks.
“Irregular seat belt use, riding in a car with a driver who has been drinking alcohol and also drinking and driving. And we saw that this behavior was highly associated with all three of these behaviors,” says Emily Olsen, a health statistician with the CDC.
The findings are based on roughly 8,500 teenagers interviewed in 2011.
Authorities say it’s tough to enforce anti-texting laws, but being strict with those who are caught can make a difference.
“There’s no doubt that if you give a ticket for texting and driving and the punitive action involves a suspension of their drivers’ license, you’ll see a limitation in texting by teens,” says Frank Rotondo, the executive director of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police.
Both Rotondo and Olsen say many adults are also guilty of letting their fingers do the talking as they’re driving, and that is just as dangerous.
“It just takes a second to get into a situation that’s very unsafe,” says Olsen.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports in 2010, more than 3,300 people were killed in accidents that involved at least one distracted driver.
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