Excerpts of a video appeared on American TV news recently that has generated a lot of controversy in the blogosphere. The four and one-half minute video was a joint effort by the police and education departments in the small community of Gwent Wales. They teamed with a professional film maker and local actors to depict the consequences of texting while driving. In very graphic detail the video shows a teenage girl texting just before crashing head-on into another vehicle, the secondary collision that follows and the aftermath of the crash as the Gwent Police Department responds to the tragedy.

The controversy that has arisen over the video centers around the very realistic, graphic depiction of the consequences of the crash caused when the teenage driver's attention was diverted from the road while texting. US TV stations have only shown excerpts of the video and some have warned that it is too disturbing to be seen by anyone under the age of 18. Driving safety experts however have stated that it should be required viewing by anyone who has or is about to get their driver's license.

Discussions on the dangers of cell phone use and texting usually center around statistics and those statistics are provided below. However statistics don't usually have much meaning to a teenage driver, especially when most teens operate in the "It'll never happen to me." mode.

As a parent of a teen, you should be the one to make the decision, after viewing the video yourself, as to whether or not your teen should see the video; keeping in mind that most teens have already been exposed to graphic violence through cable TV, movies, and video games. Viewing the video together hopefully can generate a discussion between you and your teen where the impact of the video combined with the statistics can have the most benefit.

What happens to the brain during a cell phone call or while texting.

• MRI brain scans during driving simulations show that when a driver is concentrating on driving, the area of the brain that controls for spatial awareness is lit up. When that same driver is involved in a cell phone conversation, the area of the brain that controls language comprehension lights up and the area for spatial awareness is reduced by 37%.
• A recent study of experienced truck drivers by Virginia Tech showed that texting increases the chances of a crash by 23%.
• Texting while driving is just as bad as driving while drunk.

• Distances covered while distracted by a cell phone or text.
  
  A car traveling at 40 mph covers a distance of almost 60 feet per second. At that speed, taking your eyes off the road for three seconds means you will cover a distance of almost 180 feet. A lot can happen in that amount of time, especially when cars in the opposing lane are also traveling at 40 mph (a closure speed of 80 mph or 120 feet per second).
  
  It can take up to 1 ½ to 2 full seconds from the time a driver perceives an emergency, decides what to do, and then, acts on that decision (braking or turning). During that critical 2 seconds, at 40 mph, the car will travel an additional 120 feet before the driver acts.
  
  If the driver has decided to brake, at 40 mph, it will take an additional 66 feet after the brakes are fully applied to come to a stop.
  
  Broken down, that means:
  Distraction distance for 3 seconds = 180 ft.
  Reaction time (2 seconds)distance = 120 ft.
  Braking distance = 66 ft.
  Total distance from distraction to stop = 366 ft.
• A study by Virginia Tech shows that 85 % of crashes occur within 3 seconds of a driver distraction.

What happens to the car and occupants in a crash?

• A 3,000 pound car traveling at 40 mph will experience a crash force of 80.28 tons.
• At 40 mph, a 100 pound girl, who isn't wearing a seat belt, will hit the steering wheel or dash with a force of 2.6 tons.

Texting is so dangerous that most states have worked quickly to enact bans on texting while driving. In some states, a driver who causes a crash by texting that results in death or injury will be charged with a felony and may face up to 20 years in prison. Utah drivers can face three months in prison just for texting while driving. Here is a list of the states that ban texting:

State ----------------------- Texting ban

Alaska ------------------------- all drivers

Arkansas --------------------- all drivers

California ---------------------- all drivers

Colorado ---------------------- all drivers

Connecticut ------------------ all drivers

Delaware ---------------------- learner's permit and intermediate license holders

District of Columbia ------- all drivers

Illinois --------------------------- all drivers

Indiana -------------------------- drivers younger than 18

Kansas --------------------------learner's permit and intermediate license holders

Louisiana ---------------------- all drivers

Maine --------------------------- learner's permit and intermediate license holders

Maryland ----------------------- all drivers

Minnesota ---------------------- all drivers

Mississippi -------------------- learner's permit and intermediate license holders

Nebraska ----------------------- drivers 21 and younger

New Hampshire --------------- all drivers

New Jersey --------------------- all drivers

North Carolina ----------------- all drivers

Oregon  --------------------------- all drivers

Tennessee ---------------------- all drivers

Texas ----------------------------- bus drivers when a passenger 17 and younger is present; intermediate license holders for first twelve months; drivers in school crossing zones

Utah ------------------------------- all drivers

Virginia --------------------------- all drivers

Washington --------------------- all drivers

West Virginia ------------------- drivers younger than 18 who hold either a learner's permit or an intermediate license