Texting While Driving More Expensive Than You Think!

Texting while driving is one of the most important safety issues currently facing regulators, traffic safety experts, and drivers themselves. Drivers who have their heads down, staring at the display of their phone while mentally composing a message and typing on a tiny keyboard, simply can't devote adequate attention to the safe operation of their vehicles.

States are starting to catch on; in most of America, it's illegal to text and drive. Presently, 39 states and the District of Columbia have laws on the books that forbid the practice. More importantly, the U.S. Department of Transportation is working with states to develop and train police officers on better methods for spotting drivers who are texting.

How will all of this affect the wallet of a driver who gets nabbed for texting behind the wheel? A recent article in The Christian Science Monitor points out that a citation for texting while driving is often far more expensive than people think. And the ticket is just the beginning, as a texting violation on a driver's record can lead to insurance premium increases.

Meanwhile, another piece from KSL5 in Utah suggests that bans on texting while driving might actually increase accidents. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that 3 of every 4 states that have enacted a ban on texting while driving have seen crashes actually go up rather than down. It's speculated that this is because drivers who are texting are holding their devices lower in an attempt to avoid detection.

In the end, the best bit of advice is to simply put down the phone when your driving!

National Teen Driver Safety Week October 14 – 20

Now's the time to prepare for National Teen Driver Safety Week, which runs from October 14 – 20, 2012! Promoting safe driving practices for teens is an important mission for providers of traffic safety education. Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in America, and, mile for mile, teenagers are involved in three times as many fatal crashes as all other drivers. Moreover, it is during these formative years that young drivers learn techniques that are likely to stick with them; safe driving habits that are developed early on will serve drivers well for the rest of their lives.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers parents, educators, and teens themselves a wealth of useful resources related to this event. Research shows that inexperience and immaturity combined with excessive speed, not wearing seat belts, distracted driving (mobile phone use, loud music, teen passengers, etc.), driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, and drowsy driving are prime contributors to teen-related crashes. Fortunately, these are behaviors that can be modified through awareness and education.

Another great educational tool for teen drivers is Teach Your Teen to Drive…and stay alive. This parent-teen driving guidebook covers the supervised driving requirements for licensing in all 50 states (for up to 60 hours of behind-the-wheel practice), and studies suggest that parent-teen driving practice can significantly reduce the chances of a young driver being involved in a crash. It's the perfect teaching tool for parents, and helps to eliminate the stress and anxiety associated with training a new teen driver. If someone doesn't need it for their own child, it makes a great gift idea for family members and friends who have teenagers.

Take some time to review this helpful information, and let's all make a difference this National Teen Driver Safety Week!