“That sticks with you. And no text is worth hearing screams of a mother literally wanting to know if her son’s going to live or die.”

The above quote from Sergeant Dan Charleston following an accident involving a 16-year-old teen driver is heart-heavy, and unfortunately, all too common. Data even shows that texting while driving is similar to driving while intoxicated.

Below are 9 facts that show how dangerous texting and driving is:

9: Number of Americans killed every day from motor vehicle accidents that involved distracted driving, such as using a cellphone, texting or eating.

1 in 4: The probability that a motor vehicle crash involved a cellphone.

40%: The percentage of teens who say they have been a passenger in a car whose driver used a cellphone in a way that put them in danger.

33%: The percentage of U.S. drivers ages 18 to 64 who reported reading or writing text messages while driving in the previous month.

341,000: Number of motor vehicle crashes in 2013 that involved texting.

4X: How much using a cellphone while driving increases the risk of a crash.

2: Number of seconds a driver can safely glance away from the road while operating a motor vehicle.

5: Number of seconds drivers take their eyes off the road to send a text message, on average.

21 – 24: Age group most likely to send a text or email message while driving, according to a 2012 survey.

If you wouldn’t get behind a wheel intoxicated, it’s time to put your phone down.

We at The Beattie Law Firm strongly advise against texting and driving and urge you to be aware of your surroundings when driving. If you or a loved one feel you have been a victim of such an event, call the Beattie Law Firm. We can help you by retrieving cellphone records of the defendant as well as other records to help establish your case.