Clive Thompson to Texters: Park the Car, Take the Bus
Texting while driving is a huge problem in the US. We know it’s insanely dangerous. Studies have found that each time you write or read a text message, you take your eyes off the road for almost five seconds and increase your risk of collision up to 23 times. The hazard is “off the charts,” says David Strayer, a University of Utah professor who has studied the practice.
That’s why states are frantically trying to ban it. Nineteen already prohibit texting while driving, and plenty more — including West Virginia and Missouri — will likely join the pack next year.
But I’m not convinced the bans will work, particularly among young people. Why? Because texting is rapidly becoming their default means of connecting with one another, on a constant, pinging basis. From 2003 to 2008, the number of texts sent monthly by Americans surged from 2 billion to 110 billion. The urge to connect is primal, and even if you ban texting in the car, teens will try to get away with it.
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