Texting While Driving: a Dangerous Habit for Teen Drivers

The 100 Deadliest Days for Teen Drivers

Over 100,000 car accidents happen each year involving a driver who was texting and driving, many of which involve teen drivers.  For teens, the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day are the “100 deadliest days” of the year, days when teens are the most likely to be involved in a car accident injury due to texting while driving.  With spring dances, prom, and graduation coming soon, parents of teen drivers should discuss the risks of texting while driving with their teen.

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Teens Know Texting and Driving Is Dangerous

According to AT&T’s Teen Driver Survey, part of the company’s “It Can Wait” campaign, teens feel increased peer pressure to immediately respond to texts, even though they know texting while driving is dangerous.  They also feel parents often set a poor example by texting while driving themselves.  Even if your teen does not drive, they may still be at risk as a passenger when their friends text while behind the wheel.

More eye-opening statistics from AT&T’s 2012 survey:

• Texting drivers are 23x more likely to get in a car accident
• 75% of teens say texting and driving is “common” among their friends
• 97 percent of teens know texting while driving is dangerous
• 43 percent of them admit to sending a text while driving, even though they know the dangers
• 61 percent have seen their friends read or send an email, or text, while driving

Take Steps to Protect Your Teen from the Dangers of Texting While Driving

Parents have a number of tools available to help educate their teens about the dangers of texting while driving.  If you think your teen won’t want to stop texting while driving, think again — 89% of teens said that an Android app or iPhone app that would help them avoid texting while driving would be helful.

AT&T’s “It Can Wait” campaign has a texting while driving simulator game that helps educate teens about the risk of texting while driving.  The new DriveMode app for Android and iPhone temporarily disables some functions of your teen’s phone while driving, helping to curb teens’ urge to talk or text.  Teens can even set up auto-replies to text messages and emails, notifying the sender that they are driving and will respond once they’ve arrived at their destination.

Keeping your teen safe can prove to be quite a challenge.  However, with the right tools, you and your teen can work together to keep them safe while on the road.  Have a talk with your teen today about their texting and driving habits.

Questions?Call 800-537-8185
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