DWT, or driving while texting, is a controversial topic, with younger drivers being more likely to engage in the behavior. DWT is illegal in some states and can result in fines or insurance claim denials. Distracted driving, including DWT, is estimated to cause 30% of traffic accidents in the US. Some argue that other distracting behaviors are not penalized, but the primary focus should be on driving safely. There are technologies available to help drivers respond to texts without taking their eyes off the road.
The acronym DWT stands for Lead During Texting, and it’s a controversial topic. This behavior is more prevalent among younger drivers. Only about 2% of drivers in the United States over the age of 44 read or send text messages while driving a vehicle. In contrast, about 37% of drivers aged 18 to 27 do not text and drive, and teenage drivers are more likely to commit DWT, with about 46% admitting to doing so on a regular basis.
Driving while texting is expensive in several ways, so much so that there are now states in the US banning the behavior or fining those found at DWT. This behavior, even when people are able to keep one hand free on the wheel, is called driver distraction, and there are interesting estimates of how distracted driving can be dangerous. Approximately 30% of traffic accidents in the US government are thought to result from driver distraction, and while not all are due to DWT, there are a few known cases of fatal crashes that have occurred when someone was busy texting instead to focus on the road.
While not all states or countries have made it illegal to drive while texting, it still may have hidden costs. Some insurance companies will not process claims if the driver was found texting when an accident occurred. It’s quite easy to check if SMS were received or sent during an accident.
There are some who argue that driving while texting isn’t as distracting as other behaviors that aren’t considered illegal. For example, reading a newspaper, putting on makeup, or yelling at the kids in the back of the car to stop arguing could easily provide significant distraction to cause an accident. Yet people who are distracted in these ways are usually not penalized. Others say the point is that drivers need to stay focused on their primary job while driving, which is to drive safely and not get into an accident if it is entirely avoidable. Any behavior that could be a distraction should be discouraged, but driving while texting and driving while on a cell phone are usually the easiest to catch and legislate for.
To address the issue that some people may need to respond to texts or emails while driving, there are some technologies and innovations that can help. Some people can subscribe to services that will read texts and send them via driver directions. Companies are increasingly offering transcription services, which can convert texts into voice messages and use speech recognition software to respond to texts. These aren’t perfect but they can be a solution for those who need to reply to a text immediately. People who don’t have access to these services may just want to pull over when they hear the familiar beep indicating new text so they can read any important messages and respond as needed.
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