Text Driving and Whiplash
Do you text while driving? If so you are putting yourself and others in danger.
Distracted by Text Driving
Recent studies have been released regarding texting while driving that explains why automobile accidents and the accompanying whiplash injuries are on the rise. I see the results of texting while driving with more and more frequency in my San Diego Chiropractic Office. It is not uncommon at all to find that my patients involved in car accidents were either rear-ended or side swiped by someone who was texting while driving.
A recent study by the Virginia Tech Driving Institute found that drivers who text while they drive are 23 times more likely to cause a car accident than those who don’t text while driving. Another report from the National Safety Council relayed that 28% of all car accidents are caused by texting or talking on the phone (hands free or not) while driving. A recent report from the DOT indicated that cell phones are factors in over 1.5 million accidents each year resulting in a half a million injuries and approximately 6000 deaths.
So those are the statistics, pretty grim aren’t they? Automobile accidents most commonly cause whiplash injuries that result in neck pain, pain that radiates into your arms, middle back pain, lower back pain, headaches, etc, etc, etc.
Cell phones and texting can be invaluable as emergency communication devices but unfortunately the unsafe use of these tools will no doubt lead to a total ban while driving. But with phones getting more advanced, there is a silver lining with the T-Mobile Android and other smartphones allowing bluetooth capabilities for hands-free access.
In the mean time, drive safe and watch out for text-drivers.
Yours in Good Health,
Dr. Steve Jones
Click Here For Your San Diego Chiropractor
(619) 280-0554
