Acknowledging that distracted driving on the part of teen drivers is an issue throughout the nation, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood , recently announced that two states will be involved in pilot programs aimed at reducing the number of people who engage in distracted driving. California is one of those states that will be partaking in the pilot. The idea behind the pilot is ultimately likely a reduction in the number of car accidents.
The development of the pilot program is likely due in part to the results of a recent nationwide survey the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted. According to the survey, despite it being illegal in 39 states to text while driving, 58 percent of all seniors in high school who responded indicated that they had either sent an email or text while behind the wheel of a vehicle, within the last month. Members of the junior class who responded also partake in the habit. Their participation is lower however. Approximately 43 percent admitted to the practice.
The problem with texting, while driving, is that it takes the driver's eyes off the road. Doing this, for even a couple of seconds, can cause accidents when among other things, a driver does not respond quickly enough to an obstacle or swerves into a lane that is not the one in which the vehicle should be travelling.
It is not clear what the pilot being rolled out in California consists of. Most would agree however that anything that can be done to help make the roads safer for all is a good thing.
Source: USA Today, "CDC: Older teens often text while behind the wheel," Associated Press. June 7, 2012
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