Aug 7, 2007 5:46 pm US/Eastern
Text Messaging And Driving, A Dangerous Combo
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MIAMI (CBS4) ―
Text messaging, once seen as a way to send a short message without running up the expense of a cell phone call, has become so popular that it poses its own problems.
Virgin Mobile, one of the largest cellular service providers, estimates that as many as 700 million text messages a year are sent in the U.S.
According to the AAA's survey of teen drivers, 46 percent of the teens text message while driving and 51 percent talk on cell phones while driving. The association has called these high numbers "dangerous".
A recent survey by a company commissioned by a mobile messaging service found that 91% of adults thought that drivers distracted by sending or receiving text messages were as dangerous as drivers who had been drinking.
And Harris Interactive Survey found that 57 percent of drivers admitted to sending text messages while driving. Sixty-six percent of drivers who have used text messaging or mobile e-mails said they had read text messages while they were driving.
In May, Washington State become the first state to ban the practice of texting with a cell phone while driving. Washington State also joined New York, New Jersey, the District of Columbia, Connecticut and (beginning in 2008) California in outlawing the practice of speaking on a hand-held cell phone while driving.
The fine for DWT (driving while texting) is set at $101, but since it is a secondary offense a driver must be pulled over for some more grievous infraction before the penalty can be imposed.
Cell phone companies like Verizon and Cingular Wireless have launched campaigns educating teens about appropriate cell-phone use through videos and books designed for driver education classes.
Both companies push hands-free devices and speaker phones, discourage text messaging while driving and encourage pulling over or using voice-activated dialing when making calls.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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