Why can’t that driver next to me stop texting while driving?
According to a recent University of Kansas research study, texting is like any addiction. The study was done by Paul Atchley, Ph.D. , an associate professor of Cognitive Psychology at the University of Kansas. Texting is a social behavior, and that desire to stay connected is extremely powerful because it taps directly into your brain’s reward system. You want that next hit, and that “bing” on your smartphone provides that next hit of social acceptance.
As of the present date, 34 states have banned texting while driving. But legislating the issue does not necessarily solve the problem. Therefore, as a motorist, it’s a good idea to learn to protect yourself on the highway. Other multicasting motorists give signals. Texting or otherwise distracted drivers generally:
- drive more slowly compared to other drivers
- tend to drift in and out of their lanes.
- tend to miss off ramps and on ramps until the last minute.