Here’s one from the “yea, I already knew that” category. Transport Research Laboratory, a British research company, has just released data comparing the relative impairment of drivers who were text messaging as compared with those under the influence of marijuana or alcohol. 

There are several key conclusions:

• reaction time slowed by 35% when writing OR reading text messages; marijuana slowed reactions 21% and intoxication at the legal limit slowed reactions only 12%;

• steering control worsened by 91% compared with 35% when under the influence of cannabis;

• also, text messaging caused a greater amount of lane drift and poorer adherence to safe following distances.

I’ve blogged on this subject before, but this becomes more clear as research supporting the obvious danger emerges.

Next month, we will observe Teen Driver Safety Week between October 19-25, 2008. I will be making a presentation to young drivers and their parents about the dangers facing teen drivers at my children’s school. This new evidence will certainly become part of my presentaiton. If you are a parent and can’t attend a presentation at your school, I commend you to go the a wonderful informational website maintained by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia: http://www.chop.edu/consumer/jsp/division/generic.jsp?id=84822 . This site, titled “Keeping Young Drivers Safe” is a fantastic resource and should be reviewed by parents and teen drivers before they start driving.