2008 Woodie Awards
Poll shows college-age group is texting and driving
By: Matt Jennings
Issue date: 11/2/07 Section: News
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While cell phones may be getting smaller and sleeker over time, their utility is on the rise. One popular feature is text messaging, and for many young adults, driving doesn't mean the texting has to stop.
Recently, the online polling organization Zogby International surveyed 2,246 adults nationwide about texting. The survey found that 94 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds who own a cell phone use the text messaging feature. Of this age group, 66 percent claimed that they also text while behind the wheel.
Assistant Director of Public Safety Angie Nally said that texting while driving is "dangerous."
"Driving is always a divided attention task," Nally said. "Young adults often think that they are so proficient at texting, they think they can do it while driving. Sometimes driving becomes so routine, we forget we're driving a 200-pound metal object at high speeds. Taking a little extra precaution can prevent a lot of injury and expense."
Nally recalled a fatal car crash in New York involving five teenagers. The accident could have been caused by the driver text messaging while behind the wheel.
FoxNews.com reported, "Text messages were sent and received on a 17-year-old driver's cell phone moments before [her] sport utility vehicle slammed head-on into a truck, killing her and four other recent high school graduates."
Though it is impossible to tell whether texting was the ultimate cause of the crash, this new danger on the road has some state legislatures considering bans on the activity. With 83 percent of those polled responding positively to a future ban on texting while driving, legislation may be possible, the Zogby press release said.
A spokesperson for Connie Lawson, State Senator for the district in which Greencastle falls, said via e-mail, "At this time, there were no interim study committees that looked into the text messaging issue. However, we are aware that discussions are taking place on the dangers of this communication."
Recently, the online polling organization Zogby International surveyed 2,246 adults nationwide about texting. The survey found that 94 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds who own a cell phone use the text messaging feature. Of this age group, 66 percent claimed that they also text while behind the wheel.
Assistant Director of Public Safety Angie Nally said that texting while driving is "dangerous."
"Driving is always a divided attention task," Nally said. "Young adults often think that they are so proficient at texting, they think they can do it while driving. Sometimes driving becomes so routine, we forget we're driving a 200-pound metal object at high speeds. Taking a little extra precaution can prevent a lot of injury and expense."
Nally recalled a fatal car crash in New York involving five teenagers. The accident could have been caused by the driver text messaging while behind the wheel.
FoxNews.com reported, "Text messages were sent and received on a 17-year-old driver's cell phone moments before [her] sport utility vehicle slammed head-on into a truck, killing her and four other recent high school graduates."
Though it is impossible to tell whether texting was the ultimate cause of the crash, this new danger on the road has some state legislatures considering bans on the activity. With 83 percent of those polled responding positively to a future ban on texting while driving, legislation may be possible, the Zogby press release said.
A spokesperson for Connie Lawson, State Senator for the district in which Greencastle falls, said via e-mail, "At this time, there were no interim study committees that looked into the text messaging issue. However, we are aware that discussions are taking place on the dangers of this communication."
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