Texting while driving is considered to be one of the most dangerous activities drivers engage in behind the wheel, and has quickly shot up the list of the leading causes of accidents in the United States. Many outreach programs and laws have been established in order to curb the prevalence of texting while driving, but there are still far too many people who do it on a regular basis.

Just how pervasive is the problem? The following are some texting while driving statistics that might surprise you:

• Five seconds is the average length of time that a person takes their eyes off the road while texting behind the wheel. If you are driving at a speed of about 55 miles per hour, that means you’re traveling the distance of an entire football field without paying attention to what’s happening on the road.
• Text messaging makes an accident 23 times more likely, compared to only 1.3 times more likely while talking or listening on the phone and 1.4 times more likely while reaching for your phone.
• Teen drivers are the worst offenders. Of teen drivers, 34 percent say they have texted while driving. They also don’t think it’s a big deal — 77 percent say that they are confident that they can still drive safely while texting.
• However, teens that text while driving on average will spend about 10 percent of that time outside of their lane.
• Adults are also big-time offenders, with 27 percent saying they have either sent or received messages while driving. Many believe that number to be a very low figure.

So what can be done about this problem? Many states are enacting laws that will be very strict on people found to have been texting at the time of an accident. The best thing to do is stay safe and keep your phone in your pocket or out of reach while on the road.

For more information about the dangers of texting while driving and your best steps if you’ve been injured in a serious auto accident, reach out to the respected Atlanta lawyers at McMenamy Law, LLC.