On September 22nd 2006, a 19-year-old college student, Reggie Shaw, was driving along a two-lane highway near Logan, Utah. His car swerved, crossed the divide, and hit another car coming from the opposite direction. Inside were two scientists. Both men were immediately killed when their car spun out of control and collided with a pickup truck.

It wasn’t until Shaw, sitting in the back seat of a police car immediately after the accident, pulled out his phone, and began text messaging, that the police officer on the scene became suspicious. After thorough investigation, it turned out that Shaw was texting behind the wheel only seconds before the accident occurred.

As a result of this fatal car accident, Utah now has the strictest law in the United States against text messaging. As of May 2009, Utah enforces a fine of up to $10,000 and a 15-year felony conviction if someone texts while driving and causes a fatal car accident. “Repercussions are higher for texting rather than drunk driving,” says David Strayer, professor of psychology at the University of Utah.

Texting while driving

But regardless of these horrible car accidents, people don’t seem to understand the severity of the situation. “Talking on a cell phone increases a driver’s likelihood of getting into a car crash by four times, and when a driver text messages while driving, it jumps to a 23 times greater chance of getting into a crash,” says Amy Williams, a representative from the National Safety Council.

Still, drivers all over the United States text message constantly. What will make them stop? Unfortunately, like in Utah, it might have to be a handful of horrible car accidents, says Jeff Bleak, a representative from the Utah Department of Public Safety.

While many states have laws about talking on the phone while driving, very few have laws about text messaging while driving. California has the next strictest law against text messaging in the United States. The state enforces a fine of $25 to $50 if one is caught text messaging while driving. Most drivers are willing to pay that fine to keep texting.

Why haven’t states cracked down on distracted driving in the same way that Utah has? “I think sometimes lawmakers realize that once these laws are passed, they themselves won’t be able to do certain things anymore,” Bleak says, “They don’t want to have to listen to the laws themselves.”

Although texting knows no age boundaries, Gen Y texts while driving more than any other group. “Kids think they’re invincible,” says Bleak, “I did stupid things when I was young, so does everyone. The teen’s brain is like that.”

Becca Raich, a junior at NYU, admits that she text messages and talks on the phone while driving, because she always feels the need to communicate with her friends and family. Raich was in a minor car accident whilst talking on the phone and driving at the same time. However, she still continues to talk on the phone and text while driving, because she mistakenly believes that she has “learned to always stay focused while talking on my cell phone, and texting while driving.”

Bleak explains that even if someone is looking at the road, with both hands on the wheel, he or she still can’t be fully focused on driving if they are talking on their cell phones. A government study performed in 2005, as explained on Pacific Tel’s website, proves that even if someone is using a headset while talking on the phone and driving, he or she will be engrossed in conversation and still not be completely focused on the road.

Although some think that it will take many fatal accidents to have laws changed in various states, Williams believes that public educational forums, such as the National Safety Council’s website, will act as a potential cure. She believes schools need to educate students about the dangers of text messaging and talking on the phone while driving.

Shaw, as part of his sentencing, goes to various high schools in Utah each year and shares his story to show the dangers of distracted driving. He explains that he was the last person in Utah to receive such a light sentencing for texting behind the wheel and causing an accident. He spent 30 days in jail, and has to complete 100 hours of community service as well as make these presentations to high schools.

Bleak also tries to get the point across to kids in Gen Y. “We do outreach programs at high schools,” Bleak says, “and you can see the kids that it does start to effect, and for others it blows right over their heads. If one person stops texting and driving from our presentation, then that’s a success.”