Have you seen the
popular viral video that dramatizes the dangers of texting while driving? (
Editor's note: This video contains blood and gore to get the point across. Viewer discretion is advised.)
Remember, just because your Crackberry is vibrating, it doesn't mean you have to look at it. The dangers of doing so are off the charts.
A Virginia Tech study on truck drivers find they are
23 times more likely to be in an accident when texting.
People take their eyes off the road for 5 seconds to read the average text. During that time, a vehicle moving at highway speeds can travel the length of a football field, according to the Governor's Highway Safety Association.
Think about how much territory you'll cover in that short time. All you need is a sudden stop in traffic or someone to change lanes to spell disaster.
The New York Times also reports that Utah now has a new law that will send texters involved in fatal auto accidents to prison for 15 years. It's very easy to subpoena a cell phone company and check your account to see if you were texting.
Let's face it, most everybody who has a smartphone looks at it while driving. When Clark got his first phone with e-mail capabilities, he read them all the time while he drove. It took a near collision with a jogger to make him change his ways.