Texting while driving has become a large problem on roads and highways across the country, and according to a report by EverQuote, Inc.’s safe driving app, EverDrive, Louisiana is the worst in the nation when it comes to distracted driving. There was a 43 percent rate of phone use while driving in Louisiana, and the nationwide average had 38 percent of drives containing an instance of distracted driving. The data was collected through an app that used GPS and ran in the background of participants’ phones to rate each drive they made for a number of factors including acceleration, rotation, and the device screen activating.
Although Louisiana was not in the bottom of the overall state rankings, distracted driving is a problem that can cost people their lives. WBRZ reports that Allstate was visiting college campuses with a simulator that shows the devastating effects distracted driving can have. Drivers enter the stationary vehicle and face an unexpected obstacle while also on their phone. This program was developed because more than half of accidents are due to distracted drivers using their phones. Many of the drivers most at risk are also young and less experienced on the road.
Not only is phone use while driving dangerous, it is also illegal. In Louisiana, both texting while driving and posting to social media while driving are against the law. Using your phone while driving through a school zone is also against the law. Breaking these laws even once can come with heavy fines that could cost up to $500.