Texting while driving was recently defended by two teen drivers and their discussion was recorded by the Houston Chronicle.  The young drivers, one a male and the other female, discuss how distracted driving is a problem, but not when it comes to teen drivers using a cell phone.

Our firm’s San Diego car accident attorneys absolutely disagree with this, having seen cell phones — both through talking and texting — cause just as much damage on the road as driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs.

How can teens believe texting behind the wheel isn’t a form of distracted driving or dangerous?

Distracted driving is the number one top cause of car accidents, with cell phones being one of the biggest offenders.  And who uses cell phones a lot of the time?  Teens, including the same ones who drive on our streets and freeways in San Diego.

Despite everyone — from the U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to Oprah Winfrey — calling for stricter laws on texting and driving,  48 percent of teens between the ages of 12 and 17 claim to have been a passenger while a driver was texting.

If teens are upset by their high insurance rates, increased supervision standards on the road, and wanting to feel like an independent motorist, then they should choose not to try to text while driving because of the following statistics:

  • Brain activity is lowered by 37 percent when someone drives and uses a cell phone simultaneously.
  • When using a hand-held device, as opposed to a hands-free one, the chances of personal injuries are increased four times if a motorist using the phone is in a car accident.
  • A car accident is six times a likely for a driver who texts behind the wheel compared to drivers who do not.  Experts have seen that using a cell phone and driving at the same time (regardless of a hands-free device) stalls reaction times of drivers to the same degree as motorists with a blood-alcohol concentration at the legal limit of 0.08.

Our firm’s car accident attorneys want to remind all the parents out there that you are the number one defense between your teen drivers and the reckless driving that claims thousands of lives each year.  You have the power to stop a horrible accident before it happens by limiting the use of a cell phone, a car, or both.

The male teen driver who was defending texting and driving later admitted to getting into several car accidents, two of which were caused by texting while on the road.  The solution?  His parents took away his vehicle and his mother takes him where he needs to go.

Worst comes to worst, you can always threaten them with more quality time with their non-texting, out-of-touch, but safe driving mother and father.

Call us now at 1-858-551-2090 for a FREE consultation with an experienced San Diego car accident attorney or click here to submit your case for a FREE online review.  There is no fee until we win your case.