This ad originated from the Bucharest (Romania) Traffic Police as a parody of Absolut Vodka ads. We used a little photoshop (thanks David Raleigh!) and altered it to fit our cause.
Here's the original1. Is TWD really a problem?The amount of people who text message has exploded in recent years. During that same time span, law enforcement has been reporting an increased amount of people who TWD and cause accidents. It is becoming such a problem, in fact, that many states across the county are enacting legislation to prohibit it.
2. How many people die a year from TWD?Those numbers are hard to collect, as the exact cause of death is not always known. Cell phone records can be retrieved, however, and conclusions can be reached based on this information. As for cell phone use as a whole, AAA Auto Group reports that cell phone use accounts for 2,600 vehicle fatalities and 300,000 collisions annually.
3. Why are youth being targeted?
Youth die from unintentional automobile accidents more than any other age group. Youth also text more than any other age group.
4. Are older people causing TWD accidents as well?
Yes, but less frequently than young people.
5. Is anything being done about it?
Campaigns like Utah's "
Zero Fatalities" aims at reducing traffic fatalities and deaths, but texting is grouped together with all "distracted driving" in their media campaign, so some teens may not be getting a clear message. So far, 16 states have banned it, with Oregon and New Hampshire being the two most recent.
6. Is Utah going to implement a ban on TWD?
Yes, as of May 2009, TWD is a Class C Misdemeanor. If caught and pulled over by a police officer, the driver may have to pay up to $750 and 90 days in jail. If texting while driving causes an accident, it is considered a Class B Misdemeanor, which could mean up to $1000 and 6 months in jail or license suspension. Cause a fatality and you may face a fine of up to $10,000+ and 15 years in prison. Texting is a primary offense (you can get pulled over primarily for texting) while talking on your phone is a secondary offense, meaning police can only pull you over for something else, not solely for talking on your phone. However - watch this year's legislative session in Utah or even federal rule for changes in this
). For more information on cell phone laws by state, click HERE
7. How do police officers actually enforce anti-TWD laws?
That is a hard one, as some texting drivers likely are good at hiding the behavior. Many police officers also mention that it is difficult to tell if someone is texting or just dialing on their phone. Also, if the cell phone/texting law is secondary, it can only be enforced when the driver is pulled over for committing another offense. Other evidence of the difficulty of enforcement comes from an article from
TIME magazine: "a study released [in June 2008] by the non-profit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that North Carolina's cell-phone ban for drivers under 18 did not deter them from talking or texting. In fact, cell phone use actually increased slightly after the law took effect on December 1, 2006, from 11% to 11.8% about five months later.
Perhaps most telling, only 100 cell-phone violations were issued in North Carolina to teen drivers in 2007 — a detail that may be of interest to California as it gears up for a similar cell-phone ban for teen drivers under 18 that will take effect July 1."
8. It's so hard not to TWD. What are some things I can do it avoid it?
Ideas include turning it off (so the alert noise or vibrator is not tempting), having a passenger dictate for you, or pulling over.
9. Is talking on my cell phone while driving any better?
Sadly, not really.
Read this article to find out why
10. Where can I get Utah crash statistics?
Here on this website. UDOT and the Utah Highway Safety Office can provide additional information as requested.
