Is distracted driving as bad as drunk driving? Cell phones are carried around by people everywhere. This includes when people drive. Distracted driving includes drivers talk on their cell phones while driving, send texts while driving and surf the internet while driving. While this behavior is against the law in many states, distracted drivers continue to do it on a regular basis. A study a few years ago was done to compare distracted driving and drunk driving and see what the statistics say about accidents and how much danger drunk driving and distracting driving are.
According to a study done by the University of Utah, people who are distracted while driving by using their cell phones caused more accidents than drivers who were drunk. People who used their cell phones while driving were less responsive and more impaired those who drove with a BAC of .08 or higher.
The study was partially based on a simulator which let the researches determine how the study subjects reacted when a vehicle appeared in front of them. The people using the simulator with a .08 BAC or higher caused no more accidents than normal drivers. People who were using their cell phones were eight percent slower in their reaction time.
The fine for texting while driving in Michigan is typically a $100 fine. A DUI conviction includes up to 93 days in jail, a suspension of the driver’s license, probation and community service.