Smartphones have made it easy for us to stay connected at all times. But that can pose serious safety risks if someone decides to check his or her text messages, emails, phone calls, or any other mobile applications while driving.
Below are 10 shocking statistics that show how dangerous texting and driving really is:
Number of Americans killed every day from motor vehicle accidents that involved distracted driving, such as using a cellphone, texting or eating: 9
The probability that a motor vehicle crash involved a cellphone:
1 in 4
The percentage of teens who say they have been a passenger in a car whose driver used a cellphone in a way that put them in danger:
40%
The percentage of U.S. drivers ages 18 to 64 who reported reading or writing text messages while driving in the previous month. In comparison, only 15 percent of drivers from Spain reported texting while driving in the same period:
33%
Number of motor vehicle crashes in 2013 that involved texting:
341,000
How much using a cellphone while driving increases the risk of a crash:
4X
Number of seconds a driver can safely glance away from the road while operating a motor vehicle:
2
Number of seconds drivers take their eyes off the road to send a text message, on average:
5
Number of states(plus Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands) where texting is banned for all drivers, regardless of age:
46
Age group most likely to send a text or email message while driving, according to a 2012 survey:
21 – 24
