On a recent Saturday afternoon, Delaware State Police near Lewes ticketed 19 drivers in just four hours. Aside from one civil violation for marijuana possession, the remaining 18 tickets were for using a cellphone while driving or not using a seatbelt or proper child restraint.
State police were looking for distracted drivers as part of a statewide outreach effort to mark April as national Distracted Driving Awareness month.
They certainly found them.
The nine tickets issued for using a cellphone offer evidence that even as new cars become better equipped with hands-free cellphone technology, texting while driving is still on the rise, and it’s a trend that shows no sign of changing.
We all know using a cellphone while driving is dangerous. Yet we continue to do it. State police say distracted driving was a contributing factor in nearly one in four crashes in 2018.
As may be expected, drivers in their 20s account for a large share of cellphone tickets. What may be overlooked is that people in their 20s also die in a large number of distracted-driving deaths.
Nationally, in 2015, about 10 percent of all highway deaths were attributed to distracted driving. But for drivers in their 20s, distraction-related deaths jumped to 27 percent of highway deaths, nearly three times as many deaths as for other drivers.
Delaware State Police say in Delaware and nationwide, texting while driving is an especially problematic trend for drivers 16 to 24, who are more likely to use handheld devices while driving than older drivers.
For many young people, constant use of a cellphone is routine. It’s not likely to stop just because a person gets into the driver’s seat. Add that younger drivers may drive older cars that are not equipped with hands-free technology, and the number of deaths among young drivers is only likely to rise.
Distracted driving, in particular texting while driving, is dangerous for everyone, especially for young drivers. Don’t do it.
And whatever you do, when anyone gets in the car, make sure everyone buckles up.
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Editorials are considered and written by Cape Gazette Editorial Board members, including Publisher Chris Rausch, Editor Jen Ellingsworth, News Editor Nick Roth and reporters Ron MacArthur and Chris Flood.
