According to a recent consumer survey, people are texting EVERYWHERE these days...

• 41 percent reported texting while skiing, horseback riding, or biking.
• 16 percent of people admitted texting at a funeral.
• 11 percent said they texted during a romantic interlude (We have to ask, “Really?”).

But, it's the 77 percent of people who say they text while driving a car that is alarming public policy officials.

That’s part of why a new non-profit group called FocusDriven has been formed to encourage states to pass laws to say TTYL (that’s short for “talk to you later” for the non-texters out there) to distracted driving, particularly making phone calls or text messaging on a mobile device while driving. The group has been established with the support of the U.S. Transportation Department, the independent National Safety Council, and safety advocates; it is modeled after Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

According to USA Today, there are 19 states that already prohibit text messaging while driving and 23 states are contemplating legislation. Seven states prohibit cell phone use entirely while driving. FocusDriven supports a nationwide ban.

Now, you may be asking “why?” – especially if you are one of the three out of four people in the U.S. who have sent a text message or mobile e-mail from behind the wheel of your car. Here are some stats FocusDriven uses to back their case:

• 636,000 car crashes per year can be attributed to distracted driving, resulting in
• 330,000 injuries, with 12,000 of those being serious in nature, and
• 2,600 deaths.

Those statistics help FocusDriven make a compelling argument for a nationwide ban on using cell phones while driving.

To learn more about FocusDriven, visit focusdriven.org.

You can also sound-off on your thoughts around distracted driving on our Forum.

Note: While CarLocate.com does not specifically endorse this group, we support efforts that focus on making the roadways safer for all motorists.