Health News
- Parents Should Talk To Children About Alcohol; Study Shows Teens Do Listen
Two recent studies highlight how important it is for parent to talk with their teens about the risks of alcohol use, which leads to more than 4,500 deaths nationwide every year. In the first study, Mothers Against Drunk Driving found that fewer than...
- Univ. Of Pikeville Students Hear Of Horrors Of Texting While Driving, Actively Sign Pledge To Stop The Practice
Alyson Gibson, a student at the University of Pikeville, signs the 'No Text on Board' pledge.Maybe it was a surprise to some in the crowd but texting and driving has been illegal in Kentucky since April 15, 2010. Still, the folks at the University...
- Ban Texting And Cell Phone Use While Driving, National Transportation Safety Board Urges
States should prohibit drivers from using cell phones and other portable electronic devices while behind the wheel, except during emergencies, the National Transportation Board said Tuesday. The recommendation was unanimous among the five members of the...
- National Campaign Targets Distracted Driving
With the aim of raising awareness about the dangers of distracted driving, national public-service campaign "Decide to Drive" kicked off this month. With former boxer Joe Frazier as spokesman, the campaign features a website, as well as posters, postcards...
- Most Kentuckians In Favor Of Banning Cell Phone Use While Driving
Though three of four Kentuckians admit to talking on the phone while driving, just as many would support a law banning cell phone use while operating a vehicle, the Kentucky Health Issues Poll has found. "Although most Kentucky adults use their cell...
Health News
New study finds texting and driving kills and injures more teens than drinking and driving, and is becoming more prevalent
A new study finds that texting while driving has become more dangerous among teenagers than drinking and driving, and it says the number of teens who are dying or being injured as a result of this habit has "skyrocketed."
Nationwide, more than 3,000 teens are killed and 300,000 are injured as a result of texting and driving, compared to 2,700 deaths and 282,000 injuries from drinking and driving, said researchers at Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y.
"A person who is texting can be as impaired as a driver who is legally drunk," said Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Cohen.
Adesman and his team found that the number of teens who text and drive exceed the number who drink and drive, that more boys admit to texting than girls, and that texting increases with age, writes Delthia Ricks of Newsday. While teens' texting is increasing, the CDC reports alcohol use among teen drivers has decreased by 54 percent over the past 14 years.
On Wednesday, officials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration described texting as among the worst of driver distractions, and Adesman says texting is as hazardous as "drinking and driving, binge drinking, drug and tobacco use, unsafe sex and tanning devices," writes Ricks.
"We have very strong taboos against drinking and driving. Kids don't drink and drive every day," Adesman said. "But some kids are out there texting and driving seven days a week -- and they admit it."
Nationwide, more than 3,000 teens are killed and 300,000 are injured as a result of texting and driving, compared to 2,700 deaths and 282,000 injuries from drinking and driving, said researchers at Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y.
"A person who is texting can be as impaired as a driver who is legally drunk," said Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Cohen.
Adesman and his team found that the number of teens who text and drive exceed the number who drink and drive, that more boys admit to texting than girls, and that texting increases with age, writes Delthia Ricks of Newsday. While teens' texting is increasing, the CDC reports alcohol use among teen drivers has decreased by 54 percent over the past 14 years.
On Wednesday, officials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration described texting as among the worst of driver distractions, and Adesman says texting is as hazardous as "drinking and driving, binge drinking, drug and tobacco use, unsafe sex and tanning devices," writes Ricks.
"We have very strong taboos against drinking and driving. Kids don't drink and drive every day," Adesman said. "But some kids are out there texting and driving seven days a week -- and they admit it."
- Parents Should Talk To Children About Alcohol; Study Shows Teens Do Listen
Two recent studies highlight how important it is for parent to talk with their teens about the risks of alcohol use, which leads to more than 4,500 deaths nationwide every year. In the first study, Mothers Against Drunk Driving found that fewer than...
- Univ. Of Pikeville Students Hear Of Horrors Of Texting While Driving, Actively Sign Pledge To Stop The Practice
Alyson Gibson, a student at the University of Pikeville, signs the 'No Text on Board' pledge.Maybe it was a surprise to some in the crowd but texting and driving has been illegal in Kentucky since April 15, 2010. Still, the folks at the University...
- Ban Texting And Cell Phone Use While Driving, National Transportation Safety Board Urges
States should prohibit drivers from using cell phones and other portable electronic devices while behind the wheel, except during emergencies, the National Transportation Board said Tuesday. The recommendation was unanimous among the five members of the...
- National Campaign Targets Distracted Driving
With the aim of raising awareness about the dangers of distracted driving, national public-service campaign "Decide to Drive" kicked off this month. With former boxer Joe Frazier as spokesman, the campaign features a website, as well as posters, postcards...
- Most Kentuckians In Favor Of Banning Cell Phone Use While Driving
Though three of four Kentuckians admit to talking on the phone while driving, just as many would support a law banning cell phone use while operating a vehicle, the Kentucky Health Issues Poll has found. "Although most Kentucky adults use their cell...