| Updated: 2/04 10:02 am |
Published: 2/02 8:06 pm
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At any time in Oklahoma you could see someone texting and driving.
Research from Virginia Tech Transportation Institute shows the distraction from texting and driving is 23 times more likely to cause an accident.
Generation Txt, a group raising awareness about the dangers of it, was at Woodland Hills Mall on Saturday encouraging people sign a petition to urge lawmakers to join 39 other states by making texting and driving illegal.
The group set up a virtual driving simulator used with DUI goggles that have a blood alcohol level of a .08 (at that level a person will be arrested). The goggles allow the teens to see how difficult it is to drive under the influence. Teens and parents also tried to use their cell phones to see how distracting it is while driving.
Research shows 21-percent of fatal crashes in 16-19 year old drivers is the result of cell phone usage.
“It was really hard trying to drive and text. I lost control a lot," said Kaitlyn McCormick, a teen driver.
She is seeing how difficult it is to text her father, who was driving right next to her.
"You have no control as soon as you look down," said Mike McCormick.
"I think if you were to ask anyone on the streets if they think it's dangerous to text and drive, I think they would say you're right it is but they do it anyway," said Generation Txt Teen Coordinator Christy Blystone.
Blystone says texting and driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving.
"It’s life-threatening, I've actually known people who've had their lives taken in car wrecks where texting was involved," said Kaitlyn.
She says it's enough to keep her on a straight path.
"I’ve seen what happens from it with friends. That encourages me not to do it," said the teen.
Blystone says they plan on being in Oklahoma City Monday to rally for lawmakers to make texting and driving illegal.
