when did texting and driving start to become a problem
Texting while driving Texting has become a social norm since the early 2000s because of the popularity of smartphones.[3] There have been many studies that have linked texting while driving to be the cause of life-threatening accidents due to driver distraction. The International Telecommunication Union states that "texting, making calls, and other interaction with in-vehicle information and communication systems while driving is a serious source of driver distraction and increases the risk of traffic accidents".[3] In 2013 the National Safety Council estimated there were about 1.4 million crashes in the US involving cell phone use. Their model predicted text messaging was involved in 6-16% of all car accidents in the US.[4] In 2010, texting while driving amongst young drivers was named a disease burden and ranked 8th overall in the global years of life lost (YLL). The premature mortality of young drivers who crash as a result of distracted driving has a greater effect on YLL than most diseases do.[5]
Driver's licenses in the United States In 1899 Chicago and New York City were the first locales to require testing before being allowed to drive a motor vehicle. Massachusetts and Missouri were the first U.S. states to require a license for driving a motor vehicle in 1903; however, Missouri did not require testing before a license was granted.[2]