As seen in Impaired Driving Update:
Traditionally, impaired driving has been limited to someone under the influence of a substance, which has had a negative or potentially negative impact on their driving. Impaired Driving curricula are usually focused on those “operating under the influence” of alcohol, illegal and or prescription drugs. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines Impaired Driving as “operating a motor vehicle while: affected by alcohol, affected by illegal or legal drugs, too sleepy or distracted, such as using a cell phone or texting, or having a medical condition which affects your driving.”
While texting in and of itself is innocent enough, states are making it illegal to text while driving because the distracting behavior impairs the driver’s ability to react quickly enough to make sound decisions and keep proper focus on the road. The issue, simply put, is that if your eyes are on your phone, they are not assessing what is going on around them. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association:
30 states, D.C. and Guam ban text messaging for all drivers. 11
of these laws were enacted in 2010. 26 states, D.C., and Guam
have primary enforcement. In the other four, texting bans are
secondary. Novice Drivers: An additional 8 states prohibit text
messaging by novice drivers. School Bus Drivers: 2 states restrict
In a June 2009 study, Car and Driver Magazine (Michael Austin, “Texting While Driving: How Dangerous is it?,” Car and Driver Magazine, (June, 2009).) looked at the impairment of texting compared to driving under the influence of alcohol and found reading and texting both had higher reaction times and extra distances traveled over the impaired by alcohol trials. A Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project study shows that 27 percent of the 2,252 American adults surveyed text while driving.
17 percent of “cell-toting adults say they have been so distracted
while talking or texting that they have bumped into another person or object,” according to the report’s overview. “That amounts to 14
[percent] of all American adults who have been so engrossed in
talking, texting or otherwise using their cell phones that they bumped
into something or someone.” On top of that, “49 percent of adults say
they have been passengers in a car when the driver was sending or reading text messages on their cell phone,” and 44 percent said they
had been passengers “of drivers who used the cell phone in a way
that put themselves or others in danger.” (Nicholas Kolakowski, “Texting While Driving Common Among Adults, Says Study,” Eweek: Enterprise Mobility (June, 21, 2010).)
A CNBC look at texting while driving suggested that the way to correct the situation is education (Phil LeBeau, “Texting and Driving Worse Than Drinking and Driving,” CNBC: Behind the Wheel, (June 25, 2009).) However, time and experience have shown that simply having knowledge does not result in a decrease in substance affected driving incidents. Studies like Stein and Lebeau-Craven’s (L.A.R. Stein and R. Lebeau-Craven. “Motivational Interviewing and Relapse Prevention for DWI: A Pilot Study.” Journal of Drug Issues, 1051-1070. (2002).) show individuals need to be given motivators for changing behavior and need to be given assistance in developing coping skills to deal with situations leading up to decision making. Simply knowing that a behavior is inappropriate or that something is wrong is not enough to change the behavior. Texters, just like alcohol users, will need to be given the necessary tools to make better decisions about their activities behind the wheel of a car.
Research currently underway suggests that increasing knowledge
does not necessarily translate into motivation or intent to change. In
order to better combat recidivism, behavioral change-based
interventions focusing on recovery from dependence may be a more effective option for alcohol dependent offenders than would traditional
education programs. (Norman Hoffmann, Ashton Southard, Alice Ann Williams, “The Nature of Alcohol Use Disorder Indications From a Brief Structured Interview,” Impaired Driving Update, (Spring, 2009).)
Those who have trouble making the decision not to text while driving will have to develop plans for helping to stop the problem before it happens. Drivers need to hear practical applications and tips such as leaving their cell phone in the back seat or inside a bag in the trunk while driving, leaving the phone in their back hip pocket so it is not accessible during a commute, etc. Impaired driving programs have integrated evidence-based practices and work to encourage participants to make better decisions regarding their use of substances in relationship to driving. If texting is going to be considered “impaired driving”, offenders need to be included in the same programs for substance abusers so they can receive the benefits of working with trained professionals. Best practices for impaired driving such as Motivational Interviewing, cognitive-behavioral strategies, journaling, and role playing would allow offenders to work on their decision making skills prior to the temptations of picking of the phone while driving. Texters need to receive the same mix of education and application for dealing with their impairment that those abusing a substance and driving receive after a violation.
If education alone worked, telling all drivers license holders not to text while driving because it impairs their ability to be safe on the road would be enough. However, if almost half of the adult drivers are texting and driving even though they know it is not safe, then education alone is obviously not the answer. Impaired driving programs are where all impaired drivers need to be to receive proper assistance. Drivers need more than understanding that something is dangerous, they need to be given options on how to most effectively protect themselves from falling back into previous behaviors and patterns.
Social Media and the Pea by
Alice Ann Williams is licensed under a
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