"Several studies have shown that distractions while driving, such as using cell phones or texting, can be dangerous. New research confirms these findings among teens".
A virtual test was done for 21 teenage drivers. This test is similar to the experiment I plan on doing myself, however, I'm sure that this test is a bit more efficient because of the technology that was used. The virtual test was conducted in a driving simulator, and had 21 teens drive through a virtual test course. During the course, they were given distracting tasks such as searching through an mp3 player and such as using the texting features of a cell phone. "Similar studies have found that adults who talk on cell phones while driving in simulators perform as dismally as drunken study particpants".
Instead of summarizing the article, I will use the last paragraph because it acts as a very useful article summary in itself. "What this study demonstrates is that not only does your speed go up and down, you're swinging wide left and right," said Dr. Donald Lewis, of the Eastern Virginia Medical School and Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters in Norfolk, Va.. "You're a hazardous driver, to yourself and everybody else."
http://www.livescience.com/health/090504-texting-driving.html
I mean it would be hard to disagree with the evidence in the study conducted but regardless, I agree with the study. I've almost been in an accident or two just by simply spending too much time changing radio stations or changing a song on my iPod. Texting is even more distracting than that. Considering how long texts may take, it's easy to see that if you were to get consumed in a text and look down for a solid ten seconds, you could very possibly have swerved off of a roadway. With that in mind, its not surprising that texting while driving is comparable to drunk driving.
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