Texts = Wrecks

49% of drivers with cell phones under the age of 35 send or read text messages while driving.

A texting driver is 23 times more likely to get into a crash than a non-texting driver.

Five seconds is the average time your eyes are off the road while texting.  When traveling at 55mph, that's enough time to cover the length of a football field.

An online survey of 1,999 teens ages 16-19 found that 86% had driven while distracted even though 84% know it's dangerous.

While over 90% of teen drivers say they don't drink and drive, 9 out of 10 say they've seen passengers distracting the driver, or drivers using cell phones.

32% of teens who drive while distracted don't think anything bad will happen to them.

77% of young adult drivers are very/somewhat confident that they can safely text while driving.

36% of teens say they have been involved in a near-crash because of their own or someone else's distracted driving.

16% of all drivers younger than 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported to have been distracted while driving.

Distracted driving is the number one killer of American teens.

If that's not enough to make you think, take a look at the video below.  A Belgian group gave people a test--to have them text a message while driving on a closed track:



So what can you do to be safe?

Out of sight, out of mind
When you're in the car, put your phone where you can't get it.  A place where you won't even be tempted to look for it.  No phone, no texting.

Silence is golden
Turn your notifications off.  The less you hear your phone, the less tempted you'll be to respond while you're driving.

Designate a texter
Borrow thumbs from a friend, or lend yours to a friend.  Passengers get the privilege of texting while in motion.

Such an easy, quick fix for a growing problem.

*statistics and driving tips found on http://www.stoptextsstopwrecks.org/#home