Oprah Show - Texting and Driving - The No Phone Zone Challenge

On Monday, January 18, 2010, The Oprah Winfrey Show featured guests who had somehow been negatively affected by texting or talking on the cell phone while driving. 

Millions of driver's are talking on the cell phone, checking their email, and even texting while they are driving. Although most driver's seem to understand the message not to "drink and drive," they are less aware of the risks of cell phone use while driving.

Many cell phone users don't realizing that by taking their focus off of the road they are just as bad as a drunk driver, and when it comes to texting they're even worse.

The Facts About Texting and Driving

Oprah shared the shocking cell phone accident statistics with her viewers, close to half a million people are injured and 6,000 people killed every year in cell phone related crashes.

Oprah Show guest researcher David Strayer explained the studies conducted on how the human brain works and why people cannot multitask like they think they can.

Although many people swear they are an expert of doing two or more things at once Strayer's research shows that while talking on a cell phone a driver is 4 times as likely to get into an accident. (About the same risk as driving drunk).

Texting While Driving Is Worse Than Driving Drunk

Those who text message while driving are 8 times as likely to be involved in an accident, as they are suffering from "inattention blindness," which means the brain is only processing about half of the information around them. Making it easy for a driver who is texting to miss a red light, stop sign, or pedestrian crossing the street.

David Strayer has been studying distracted drivers for ten years and says that someone who is texting while they drive is actually driving worse than a drunk driver.

If the facts aren't enough to get you to put down your cell phone while in the car then perhaps hearing the tragic stories of some of the victims will get your attention.

Texting S.U.V. Driver Hits Little Girl Riding Her Bike In a Residential Neighborhood

The victims stories were difficult to hear, Oprah's guests included wives, daughters, and fathers of victims who had either been killed on the road by someone driving while on their cell phone, or driver's who crashed while on their phone.

An especially heartbreaking story showing the dangers of texting while driving was the story of a nine-year-old girl named Erica who was hit by an S.U.V. whose driver was texting and not paying full attention to the road.

Erica was riding her bicycle only seconds away from her home when the S.U.V. struck her, sadly she later died in the hospital. You can read more about the accident victims here on Oprah.com.

Oprah's Mission To End Cell Phone Distraction Behind The Wheel

Oprah wants viewers to stop using cell phones in the car and take the NO Phone Zone Pledge. This is what Oprah Winfrey had to say about cell phone use while driving:

"It is my prayer that this show, this day will be a seminal day in your life," Oprah says. "Let it be the end, the end of you using a cell phone or sending a text message when you are behind the wheel of a moving vehicle. And until we as a nation decide we're going to change that, those numbers are only going to go up."

To find out more about Oprah's No Phone Zone Pledge or to read more about cell phone driving research visit Oprah.com.

Tell Your Family and Friends To Stop Driving While They're On Their Cell Phone

Do you want to tell your friends and family to stop texting while driving? You can email this blog post to your loved ones by going here and visiting the "email this" link at the bottom of the article.

Since the "texting while driving" Oprah show aired yesterday over 30,000 people have taken the No Phone Zone pledge, and hopefully there will be many more who will make the decision to stay off their phones while on the road.

Comments

[Adriene Carter]

I was in a car accident due to texting on December 13, 2009. I totaled my 05 Honda Accord, crushed one bone in my arm and broke the other one in two different places. I have 2 rods and 9 screws in my arm and to this day it has not healed. Oddly after I wreaked, Oprah done a show on texting, I watched it and I can totally agree on the show and would love for everyone to be aware of the danger your cell phone can put you in. I LOVED the t-shirts that Oprah gave everyone and would LOVE to have one, to help promote the "NO texting while driving"...I did receive a ticket, not due to using my cell, but a reckless driving because I struck a telephone pole, thank goodness it was a pole and not someone!! This stupid decision has costed me not only a new car, but a lifetime of aches and pains that I will have to deal with because I made a stupid decision!!! PLEASE send me a shirt, I am walking proof that texing while driving will hurt you or someone else!! I can send pictures to you of my car, x-rays of my arm....

[Reverse cell phone lookup]

I personally do not love those drivers who talk on the cell phone while driving, it's dangerous man.