Washington Researchers Analyze Prevalence of Texting and Driving

Posted on September 9, 2013

Yet another survey has come out which speaks to the ongoing prevalence of distracted driving.  It’s becoming clearer and clearer that this is an epidemic that affects people of all ages in all parts of the country, and we need to start taking it seriously in order to save lives.

This latest study comes from an Injury Prevention and Research Center trauma doctor at the Washington-based Harborview Medical Center.  She and her team of investigators monitored 7,800 people behind the wheel of an automobile across various intersections in the state of Washington.

They were able to distinctly pick out electronic device usage among 8.1% of drivers.  In addition, almost half of all of those distracted parties were texting when they were spotted.  Although those numbers might seem low, the lead researcher seems to get a better view of texting as a whole given her position.  She voiced concerns about the number of young people who come in to the hospital because of an accident caused by texting.

Still, the research may not be the most reliable indicator of the availability of texting on the road, and the lead author notes that more work must be done to track the behavior.  She will be making this data available across Washington so that various localities can learn more about and enforce bans on cellphone usage.

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