Much has been made about the dangers of texting while driving and indeed its dangers are well-documented. Many observers thought the following public service announcement aired in the UK went a little too far, but it certainly makes its point:
While texting drivers are 23 times more likely to get involved in a collision than non-distracted counterparts, according to a study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, it may surprise you to learn that other distractions might be even more of a concern.
Road rage, eating/drinking, checking out other drivers, kids in the car, passenger conversations, even reading the paper all ranked higher than texting while driving by men in a LeaseTrader.com survey of 3,000 drivers nationwide, who were asked to rank distractions in order of their perceived danger.
Texting ranked about as low for women, too, after kids in the car, putting on makeup, messing with the radio, navigation, avoiding inclement weather, other passengers in the car and eating/drinking.
While there is no law against "driving while scolding the kids" per se, such incidents can (and often do) fall under the rubric of reckless driving.
For example, a Lake County motorcyclist was killed last spring when a motorist slammed into her bike (Tribune) because she was applying nail polish and didn't see her.
The defendant has pled not guilty to charges of reckless homicide, a class 3 felony, which carries a prison sentence of between two and five years.
- Misdemeanor & felony traffice offenses (FindLaw)
- Distracted driving resources (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
- Driving While Distracted - Cell Phone Ban (Nationwide Insurance, PDF)
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