For the first time, texting while driving has surpassed drunk driving as the number one cause of death among teenagers behind the wheel in the US. This is according to new research from the New York-based Cohen Children's Medical Centre.
According to the research, roughly 3 000 teenagers are killed and 300 000 injured in accidents caused by texting and driving each year. Marginally less, some 2 800 die and 282 000 are injured due to drunk driving incidents.
While the numbers may suggest that the one action has become more of a problem than the other, the research does not indicate that texting and driving is more dangerous than drinking and driving, but rather that teens text far more often than they drink - especially while driving - meaning there are more opportunities for texting to cause accidents.
During an interview with CBS News, Dr Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioural paediatrics at Cohen Children's Medical Centre and the lead author of the study, stressed this distinction. "The reality is kids aren't drinking seven days per week - they are carrying their phones and texting seven days per week, so you intuitively know this is a more common occurrence."
Alexandra Bailin, a research assistant and one of the authors of the study, describes texting and driving as a "national epidemic".
"Although teens may be developmentally predisposed to engage in risk-taking behaviour, reducing the prevalence of texting while driving is an obvious and important way to ensure the health and safety of teen drivers, their passengers and the surrounding public," she said.
According to Arrive Alive SA, studies have shown that texting while driving is riskier than driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, as the distraction caused by typing a text is proven to drastically impair reaction times and the driver's ability to control the vehicle.
And teens aren't the only culprits. A survey conducted by AT&T found that 49% of adult drivers admitted to texting and driving, while only 43% of teen respondents admitted to the dangerous habit.
The same survey of over 1 000 adult drivers found that 98% of respondents were aware of the fact that sending e-mails or texts while driving is unsafe and acknowledged that the behaviour was a recent habit they had picked up. Roughly 60% admitted they would not have sent a text while driving as recently as three years ago.
When quizzed as to why they so willingly do something proven to be dangerous, the answers ranged from wanting to stay connected to improving productivity. The majority admitted to it being a habitual action.
This week, several US carriers joined AT&T's "It Can Wait" campaign. As part of the initiative, TV, radio and online adverts will be aired warning consumers about the dangers of texting and driving.
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