Teen drivers text because of peer pressure, bad parental examples
Summer vacation means more teenage drivers on the roads for longer periods of time, putting teenage drivers in greater statistical jeopardy of becoming involved in traffic accidents resulting in severe injury or death. The 100 deadliest days for inexperienced drivers under the age of 20 are the 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day of every year. One of the most dangerous hazards posed to teenage drivers in current times, according to many safety advocates, is the desire to engage in text based messaging while operating a moving automobile. Several cell phone based software applications designed to prevent drivers from text messaging from behind the wheel have been released recently for a variety of cell phone models. According to safety experts, parents can also discourage their teenage drivers from sending or reading text messages while driving by not engaging in the distracting practice themselves. More than 75 percent of the young drivers surveyed said they had watched their parents sending or reading text messages while behind the wheel. Though many teens send and read text messages while driving, only three percent of the teen drivers surveyed denied that the practice is dangerous. According to a statement issued by AT&T representatives, teenagers often feel pressured to respond to text messages within five minutes of receiving them, even if they are currently attempting to operate a moving motor vehicle, even if they believe the practice to be dangerous.
