There are three main types of distracted driving: visual, manual, and cognitive. Texting involves all three as it requires drivers to take their eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, and mind off driving. Studies show texting deteriorates reaction time more than driving drunk. Despite this, 81% of drivers still text while driving due to multitasking, addiction to their phones, and being oblivious to the dangers. Fines for distracted driving are increasingly common but have not significantly reduced the statistics as many drivers are not afraid of getting caught.

1. Risky Behavior? Texting&Driving by Abigail Cameron

2. There are 3 main types of distracted driving… Source: US Department of Transportation, Statistics and Facts about Driving Visual – taking your eyes off the road Manual– taking your hands off the wheel Cognitive – taking your mind off what you’re doing image: ClipArt

3. image: Andrea Narita - Flickr Texting is the most alarming because it involves all 3types of distraction. Source: US Department of Transportation, Statistics and Facts about Driving

4. In 2009, 20% of crashes in the United States were reported cases of distracted driving. Source: US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration image: alexbartok - Flickr

5. image: Siebuhr - Flickr Of those killedin distracted-driving-related crashes, 18% or995involved reports of a cell phone as the distraction. Source: US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

6. Drivers who use hand-held devices are 4x as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety image: RiaPereira - Flickr

7. So… …Why does 81% of the population keep texting while driving? Source: Buzzle.com – Texting while driving statistics image: Magda.indigo - Flickr

8. MULTITASKING Convenience of texting and driving at the same time – people become oblivious to the danger. Image: ashapiro515 - Flickr

9. ADDICTION People just CAN’T put the phone DOWN. image: maeva - Flickr

10. image: vnduan - Flickr OBLIVIOUS People don’t realize how dangerous it is for themselves&others.

11. image: Hypno Istanbul - Flickr Studies show that texting deteriorates reaction time more then getting behind the wheel drunk… Texting showed a 35% deterioration in reaction time and 91% decrease in steering ability… …while driving drunk only showed a 12% deterioration in reaction time. Source: CBC News

12. So…If you wouldn’t get behind the wheel drunk… …Then why would you get behind the wheel and text? image: bimma - Flickr

13. Solution? image: Null Photography - Flickr

14. FINES Are fines really the positive solution to change the statistics around texting&driving? Image: Amsterd@m - Filckr

15. image: WestPeak Photography - Flickr In 2011, 1500 people have been fined $167 for distracted driving in Vancouver. Source: The Globe and Male – Does Texting While Driving make sense to you?

16. In 2010, almost 17,000 drivers were charged $155 in Toronto. Source: The Globe and Male – Does Texting While Driving make sense to you? image: ijustine - Flickr

17. Image: DanielY - Flickr Even the App campaigns to stop texting while driving in this digital age aren’t helping. Source: The Globe and Male – Does Texting While Driving make sense to you?

18. WHY? image: misallphoto - Flickr

19. No one is afraid of being caught! image: Zi - Flickr

20. image: wbsloan - Flickr Does Texting&Driving make sense to you?

21. All images are licensed under the Creative Commons Non-Commercial Share-Alike 3.0 agreement, and sourced from Flickr. image: .David Chu - Flickr