Illinois Car and Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

Although neither texting while driving nor driving drunk is ever a good idea, recent studies comparing the two have shown just how dangerous texting while driving really is. Richard Chung writes for the New York Times Automobile blog, Wheels, the current issue of Car and Driver magazine discuses recent results from a study testing the differences in reaction times when texting while driving versus when driving drunk.

The drivers’ reaction times were tested first at 35 mph and then at 70 mph. They were then tested at the same speeds while reading text messages, while writing text messages, and finally while driving with a .08 blood alcohol level (as determined by an on scene by a Lifeloc FC10 breath-alcohol analyzer). Each test was performed five times, and the slowest time in each set was dropped.

The magazine found that reaction time was “much worse for both drivers when they were texting while driving than when they were under the influence of alcohol. At 35 miles an hour, [Driver One’s] average reaction time was .57 seconds, but while texting it rose to 1.36 seconds, more than twice his average reaction time of .64 seconds while under the influence. [Driver Two] fared better, but his average reaction time of .45 seconds rose to .52 seconds while texting, worse than his average time of .46 seconds while driving drunk.”

The results of the test at 70 miles an hour were better in terms of reaction times, but at high speeds, even a small difference in reaction time can lead to a much greater distance before the vehicle comes to a complete stop. For example, Driver One traveled “an average of four feet farther while driving drunk and an average of 70 feet farther while texting.” At high speeds, short distances can make the difference between a minor crash and a fatal crash.

As a personal injury lawyer, it is important for me to emphasize that the point of this article and discussion is not to make driving drunk seem relatively safer, but to emphasize how truly dangerous using a cell phone while driving is. Several states have considered banning texting while driving and some have considered banning cell phone usage while driving outright. Safety on the roadways should be a top priority, and it seems logical that if texting while driving is at least as dangerous as driving drunk, it should be prohibited.