The following is an archived video story. The text content of that video story is available below for reference. The original video has been deleted and is no longer available.

Texting While Driving More Dangerous Than DWI?

All this year KEYE TV is involved in a campaign to call attention to the problem of texting while driving.  It is a dangerous, but as dangerous as drinking while driving?  Car and Driver Magazine decided to find out. 

They did an interesting test to see how texting while driving compares with drinking while driving as far as affecting reaction time. 

Their test used red lights taped to the windshield to simulate the brake lights on the car ahead. 

They tried it first with no distractions to see what normal reaction time would be, and then again while texting. 

After taking some measurements, alcohol was applied until the drivers were legally drunk and they went through the test again to see what the reaction time would be. 

Believe it or not-- both drivers actually did *worse* while texting than while impaired by alcohol.  Maybe they were wrapped up in what they were reading, but both test drivers who were texting took longer to react to the fake brake light, sometimes much longer.

Remember at highway speed you're flying down the road 100 feet for every second you have your eyes buried in your text message. 

KEYE TV is trying to get out the word about this dangerous form of distracted driving with our No Text Zone campaign.  Want to learn more?  Follow the links below.

KEYE TV No Text Zone
Car & Driver Magazine

By Fred Cantu