Texting Affects Safety and Cost of Driver Insurance

Distracted driving, a problem that has contributed to an untold number of accidents and contributed to the cost of driver insurance nationwide is getting more attention than ever. For example, this week, the term "distracted driving" was even named Word of the Year for 2009 by the Webster's New World College Dictionary.

"In most cases, the word chosen is a new one and thus hasn't yet found its way into the dictionary," said Michael Agnes, the dictionary's editor-in-chief.

The federal government and law enforcement agencies across the country are also paying considerable attention to the matter of distracted driving, with an effort underway to ban texting and cell phone use behind the wheel in all 50 states.

Even as more states pass laws dealing with distracted driving, safety officials have a complex job ahead of them when it comes to reducing the problem and improving public safety.

For example, a recent survey by the Pew Research Center found that 48 percent of teens aged 12–17 had been in a car where the driver was texting, and that 34 percent of teens aged 16–17 had admitted to texting while driving.

The report also found that 52 percent of teens aged 16–17 said they had talked on a cell phone while driving, and that large majorities of teenagers surveyed own cell phones and texting devices, and they use them regularly.

The stakes are high when it comes to lowering the accident rate by targeting distracted driving. A report from WWMT–TV in Michigan offers one of the latest examples, telling the story of a teenager who recently died in a crash that was triggered when she struck another vehicle while texting.

Similar stories appear in media outlets across the country, which has helped fuel momentum to ban texting and cell phone use while driving nationwide. Groups ranging from Ford Motors to AAA are among those supporting the effort.

One of the states working toward a ban may be Florida. According to a report in the St. Petersburg Times, Governor Charlie Crist and his top highway safety appointee recently endorsed a proposed texting ban in an effort to build momentum for it in the legislature.

Distracted Drivers

While distracted driving is most commonly cited as involving electronic devices, there can actually be many different forms of it. For example, people who eat or put on makeup in the morning while driving are also practicing distracted driving and increasing the risk of an accident in the process.

Unsecured pets and children, not to mention activities like fiddling with the radio, are other things that contribute to distracted driving. People who do engage in distracted driving have been found to present a safety risk comparable to a person driving under the influence of alcohol.

When it comes to the public, polls have remained consistent throughout the year when it comes to banning texting and cell phones behind the wheel. A recent CBS News/New York Times poll found that 80 percent of the public now thinks it should be illegal to use a handheld cell phone while driving.

The same poll found that 66 percent believe hands-free cell phone products are safer than their traditional counterparts. This will become especially relevant to the policy discussion as more states make steps toward passing their own regulations.

The cost of driver insurance is just one thing that is affected by the high rate of texting behind the wheel. Public safety and property damage are also greatly affected.