Why Do People Text and Drive?

The distraction of texting while driving can be lethal to the driver and everyone in the streets, may it be other drivers, passengers, pedestrians, or even physical objects. According to the AT&T Compulsion Survey, 98% of drivers think that texting while driving is dangerous. (AT&T, 2014) However, 43% of these drivers have admitted to reading a text while driving. (AT&T, 2014). Research shows that “people drive more unreliably when they’re texting than when they’re drinking and driving {and} we know that people are six times more likely to be in an accident if they’re texting and driving.” (Crothers, 2014) Even though people are aware of the dangers that texting and driving pose, we are still willing to do it regardless. Studies show that 75% of teen drivers assure that texting and driving is common amongst their peers, and nearly 4 in 10 teenagers use social media while driving. (AT&T, 2014)

There are numerous reasons why people text while driving.  According to AT&T the main reason why drivers text while on the road is to stay connected with friends and family, and 30% think of being connected to their phone is a habit and remain using it in the car as well. Addiction to texting is one of the main reasons why people are willing to text while driving. According to David Greenfield, a medical professor at the University of Connecticut, “The lure of text messages is actually a lot like the appeal of slot machines, both can de difficult compulsions to overcome for some people. The buzz of an incoming text message causes the release of dopamine in the brain, which generates excitement.”(Worland, 2014). According to Dr. Greenfield, “Addiction is what drives the behavior.  There is a psychological mechanism where [people] deny the fact that this one instance will not be dangerous.,” (Crothers, 2014) Dr. Larry Rosen call this the iDisorder, where elements of different mental illnesses combine and are centered on the way we all relate to technology and media. (Turkle, 2011). Moreover, an overdependence on our technological devices and internet connections have caused a direct effect in our psychological and emotional well-being.

A sense of anxiety is another reason why people cannot disengage texting and mobile device usage while driving. According to Sherry Turkle, “People, especially teens, feel a sense of urgency when it comes to cellphone usage.” (Turkle, 2011) For example, as soon as the phone receives a notification, he/she immediate reaction would be an “emergency”. This kind of emergency may come in different forms, such as a family member trying to get ahold of him/her and they feel that the response can’t wait, or hence feeling compelled to answer their phone, regardless what they are doing. In a way, the phone may serve as a connection with the outer world, thus, making teens feel safe by having their phones always nearby.