Reuters (10/6, Forsyth) reports that Texas A&M’s Texas Transportation Institute released a study yesterday finding that using a cell phone while operating vehicles doubles a driver’s reaction time. The longer reaction time means drivers have less time to focus on the road and react to changing conditions. The study tested 42 drivers between 16 and 54 who sent and received text messages while driving on an 11-mile text rack. When not texting, a driver took one to two seconds to respond to a flashing light. However, a texting driver took three to four seconds, making them 11 times more likely to drive through the flashing light. This is the first study conducted on actual vehicles, not simulators. US DOT statistics show that about 20% of fatal accidents are due to texting and driving.
