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!