According to NHTSA , in 2014, 3,179 people were killed, and an estimated 431,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver.
DISTRACTED DRIVING
What is distracted driving?
Distracted driving is any non-driving activity a person engages in that has the potential to distract them from the primary task of driving and increase the risk of crashing.
Distractions include, talking or texting on a cell phone, grooming, eating or drinking, adjusting a radio, CD or MP3 player or reading, including maps, watching a video, or talking to passengers.
But because text messaging requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver, it is by far the most alarming distraction.
TEENS ARE AT THE MOST RISK
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States, more than homicide and suicide combined.
The younger, inexperienced drivers under 20 years old have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes.
Texting while driving is one of the most dangerous of all distracted driving activities, because it takes your hands off the wheel and eyes and mind off the road.
Not surprisingly, drivers under the age of 20 text more than any other age group and the numbers are only increasing.
source:distraction.gov
Sending or receiving a text takes a driver's eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent-at 55 mph-of driving the length of an entire football field blind.