Ask most drivers if texting and driving is safe, and they’ll tell you that they understand that it’s a risk. The reason it keeps happening isn’t ignorance or a lack of awareness. People know that the danger is there and they’ve seen the accident stats.
In one study, while 98 percent of people acknowledged the danger, 75 percent said they still did it. Some even did it in violation of state laws.
One reason they keep doing it is that they think it won’t happen to them. A full 25 percent said that multitasking came easy to them, so they figured they could easily text and drive at the same time.
Addiction to texting may also play a role. Most people won’t admit to the addiction — just six percent — but more than twice that many (14 percent) said they felt anxious when a text came in and they couldn’t instantly respond. That suggests they’re addicted, even if they’re not willing to admit it.
Another 28 percent also hinted at this addiction by saying they were just concerned that not reading a text instantly meant they’d miss out on something. Despite the fact that the majority of text messages are not urgent, they worried about it with every text.
Those who have been in accidents seem to have a better grasp on the reality, as one young man spent time speaking up against texting and driving after causing a deadly crash.
Those who have not yet crashed, though, seem more than willing to take the risk. If a texting driver hits and injures you, be sure you know about your rights to compensation.
Source: CBS, “Why so many people text and drive, knowing dangers,” accessed May 19, 2017