There have been many studies examining the effects of texting while driving. The one conclusion they all have? Texting impairs driving ability. In the time it takes you to glance down at your phone to type a word or find a recipient, a person could run out in front of you, or a light could turn color.
"Car and Driver" decided to compare the results of texting and driving with drunk driving, on the same day, in a real car.
First, they got a baseline reaction time from two drivers at 35 and 70 mph. Then, they repeated the baseline procedure while they read a message and typed a text message. The next step? Driving with the legal limit of alcohol in their system (don't worry, this was all done on closed conditions).
The magazine performed each test 5 times. They found that the reaction time was much worse for both drivers when they were texting than when they were intoxicated.
Reading and sending messages compromises your focus and concentration. Your reaction times are much worse.
Texting while driving just isn't worth the risk of hurting or killing someone. Don't do it!
