Texans Have The Worst Driving Habits

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Children are especially at risk of distracted drivers near their schools and a new study found some of the most dangerous driving in the country happening around Texas campuses.

A study by Zendrive has measured the phone use and aggressive driving of some four million drivers around 75,000 U.S. schools. The study discovered some of the most dangerous streets in the country for distracted driving are around schools in Texas. In fact, when looking at the five worst schools in the country -Texas campuses hold three of the slots.

Trinity Downtown Lutheran Church and School in Houston has the worst drivers and holds the number one spot, according to the study. However, the Pegasus School of Liberal Arts & Sciences and Covenant Charter School, both in Dallas, are right behind, respectively holding the number three and five spots on the worst list.

The study indicated that roughly 88-percent of Americans use their phones while driving. In general, the more urban the county, the riskier the school roads.

Roughly 1 in every 11 public schools in the U.S. is within 500 feet of a roadway with heavy traffic.

According to Zendrive, the afternoon pick-up is far more dangerous than morning drop-off. CEO Jonathan Matus said that the afternoon hours between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. are about 40-percent more dangerous — and it’s likely because of heavier work traffic.

In addition to pinpointing areas near schools with the most dangerous driving, distracted phone use, aggressive acceleration and hard braking, the Zendrive study also has safety “snapshots” which rank schools by county and giving them a grade from A to F.

The results indicate that more than three-dozen schools in Dallas County with an F grade and more than two-dozen in Collin and Tarrant County.

According to the FCC, the popularity of mobile devices has had some unintended and sometimes deadly consequences. An alarming number of traffic accidents are linked to driving while distracted, including use of mobile devices while driving, resulting in injury and loss of life. The most recent national statistics are sobering.

• Over 8 people are killed and 1,161 are injured daily in incidents reported as distraction-affected crashes in the United States.
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that in 2015, there were 3,477 people killed and an estimated additional 391,000 people injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers.
• At any given daylight moment across America, approximately 660,000 drivers are using cell phones or manipulating electronic devices while driving, a number that has held steady since 2010.
• In 2015, the National Occupant Protection Use Survey reported that handheld cell phone use continued to be highest among 16-24 year old drivers.

What you can do to help

Give clear instructions – Give new drivers simple, clear instructions not to use their wireless devices while driving. Before new drivers get their licenses, discuss the fact that taking their eyes off the road – even for a few seconds – could cost someone injury or even death.

Lead by example –No one should text and drive. Be an example for others and if you need to text or talk on the phone, pull over to a safe place. Set rules for yourself and your household regarding distracted driving.

Become informed and be active –Tell family, friends and organizations to which you belong about the importance of driving without distractions. Take information to your kids’ schools and ask that it be shared with students and parents.

State laws

Currently, there is no national ban on texting or using a wireless phone while driving, but a number of states have passed laws banning texting or wireless phones or requiring hands-free use of wireless phones while driving. For more information on state laws, visit www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/cellphone_laws.html.