Distracted driving is an increasingly common cause of fatal auto accidents among young people. Some Wyoming high school students were given the chance to witness the dangers of distracted driving without being put in harm’s way.
Cheyenne South High School students were invited to participate in AT&T’s “It Can Wait” program. The program allowed students to use a driving simulator to navigate through a virtual city while attempting to respond to text messages. Students had to perform complex tasks during the simulation, such as dodging traffic hazards and avoiding collisions with other vehicles.
Throughout the event, several students crashed the virtual car. The event was intended to show high schools students how many hazards are present around them while driving, and the importance of staying focused on the road.
For students who managed to navigate the virtual city without an accident, they were pulled over by the virtual police and given a virtual ticket. Wyoming is one of many states with a ban on texting and driving.
Who Causes the Most Distracted Driving Accidents?
According to a study performed by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, distracted driving is a factor in 6 out of 10 moderate to severe car accidents among teenagers. Previously, the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration had estimated the number to be closer to 19 percent, but new research from the AAA FTS shows a number three times higher.
The top two causes of distracted driving accidents in the study were mobile phone use and interacting with other passengers.
Continue to follow our blog as we update our readers on distracted driving accidents. For more information on what to do after a car accident, please explore the frequently asked questions section of our website.
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Did You Know?: According to a 2013 survey by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 72 percent of drivers aged 19-24 talked on a mobile phone while driving at least once in the last 30 days.