Texting increases crash risk 23 times - study

Text messaging behind the wheel increases the risk of a crash or a near crash by 23 times, and is far more dangerous than talking on a cell phone while driving, according to a report.

The study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) said while talking on a phone did not cause drivers to take their eyes off the road, use of a keypad distracted motorists with disastrous consequences.

"Text messaging on a cell phone was associated with the highest risk of all cell phone related tasks," the VTTI said. "The tasks that draw the driver's eyes away from the forward roadway were those with the highest risk." Studies conducted by the VTTI found that text messaging resulted in the longest duration of "eyes off road time" - 4.6 seconds over a six-second interval.

"This equates to a driver travelling the length of a football field (100 meters) at 88.5 kilometres per hour without looking at the roadway," it said.

"Talking/listening to a cell phone allowed drivers to maintain eyes on the road and were not associated with an increased safety risk to nearly the same degree," it said.

The study found that the risk of a crash or a near crash in a light vehicle or car while dialling on a cell phone was 2.8 times higher than non-distracted driving.

It was 1.3 times higher when it came to talking or listening on a cell phone, and 1.4 times higher when reaching for an object such as an electronic device.

In heavy vehicles or trucks, the risk of a crash or near crash was 5.9 times higher when dialling a cell phone, one times higher while talking or listening on a cell phone and 6.7 times higher when reaching for a device.

For truck drivers, the risk of a crash or near crash was 23.2 times higher while texting than for non-distracted driving, a figure considered equivalent for other drivers.

For the report, the VTTI used cameras and instrumentation to observe light vehicle and truck drivers involved in more than nearly 10 million kilometres of driving.

"These results show conclusively that a real key to significantly improving safety is keeping your eyes on the road," the VTTI said.

It recommended that "texting and dialling, should always be avoided" and called for text messaging to be banned in moving vehicles for all drivers.