[{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"BlogPosting","datePublished":"2019-01-18","dateModified":"2025-10-07","url":"https:\/\/www.lawtoncates.com\/blog\/how-to-prevent-teen-texting-while-driving\/","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.lawtoncates.com\/blog\/how-to-prevent-teen-texting-while-driving\/","description":"We all know that texting while driving is dangerous, but teen drivers still do it at an alarming rate. Some studies show as many as 46% of teens admitted to texting while driving. 97% of these same teens agreed that texting and driving is dangerous.\u00a0A person texting while driving has her eyes off the road 400% more than one\u00a0who is not.\u00a0A driver who is texting is distracted and a menace to other drivers. I have two teenage daughters, and know the pervasiveness of texting in their life.\u00a0They will send and receive\u00a0between 12,000 and 15,000 texts per month. Teens text automatically [\u2026]","name":"How to Prevent Teen Texting While Driving","headline":"How to Prevent Teen Texting While Driving","articleBody":"We all know that texting while driving is dangerous, but teen drivers still do it at an alarming rate. Some studies show as many as 46% of teens admitted to texting while driving. 97% of these same teens agreed that texting and driving is dangerous.\u00a0A person texting while driving has her eyes off the road 400% more than one\u00a0who is not.\u00a0A driver who is texting is distracted and a menace to other drivers.I have two teenage daughters, and know the pervasiveness of texting in their life.\u00a0They will send and receive\u00a0between 12,000 and 15,000 texts per month. Teens text automatically and effortlessly.\u00a0It is their preferred mode of communication. Leaving aside the sociological issues of this mode of communication, the question is how to stop them from texting and driving.Pass a LawMany states and municipalities are making it illegal to text and drive.\u00a0While this approach has some facial appeal, it is like any prohibition on a preferred activity.\u00a0People will break the law.\u00a0The practical effect\u00a0of a\u00a0law prohibiting texting\u00a0and driving is that it punishes the behavior, rather than preventing\u00a0it.Jam the Cell Phone SignalThe technology is available to jam the cell signal in your car.\u00a0The idea is that a jamming device is activated while the engine is running.\u00a0The result is your vehicle has a dead zone where the signals do not get in or out.\u00a0The problem with this solution is that it is illegal.\u00a0The FCC could fine you up to $11,000.00 and impose a bunch of other penalties. The\u00a0FCC does not want the right to the airways infringed upon, and thus jamming technology is illegal.\u00a0It seems to me that the balancing of rights should be in favor of life even at the cost of some profits to the cell phone industry.Car CamerasParents can place a camera in the car their teens drive.\u00a0Several insurance companies offer programs to help fund the cost of the cameras. The camera is designed to go on whenever it senses something wrong with the way the car is being driven.\u00a0Thus, it will show the results of texting and driving, but it won\u2019t necessarily prevent the behavior.Talk to Your KidsEven if we don\u2019t believe it, our kids do listen to us.\u00a0 As parents, we set the rules for our kids, and if we are clear about texting and driving\u00a0many of them will listen.\u00a0You can check your cell bill and get the dates and times your kids are texting without invading their privacy.\u00a0You can compare when they had the car to when they were texting and take away driving privileges in the event they violate the rules.","wordCount":453,"about":"Distracted Driving","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.lawtoncates.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/lawton-cates-attorneys.jpg","height":550,"width":694,"@id":"https:\/\/www.lawtoncates.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/lawton-cates-attorneys.jpg"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.lawtoncates.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/lawtoncates-logo.png","height":73,"width":438,"@id":"https:\/\/www.lawtoncates.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/lawtoncates-logo.png"},"name":"LawtonCates, S.C.","@id":"https:\/\/www.lawtoncates.com\/blog\/how-to-prevent-teen-texting-while-driving\/#Organization1"},"author":{"@type":"Person","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/54b1a66272d064fc0cea3b104f9aacec?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96,"@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/54b1a66272d064fc0cea3b104f9aacec?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"url":"https:\/\/www.lawtoncates.com\/blog\/author\/david\/","name":"David Stegall","identifier":27,"@id":"https:\/\/www.lawtoncates.com\/blog\/author\/david\/#Person"},"@id":"https:\/\/www.lawtoncates.com\/blog\/how-to-prevent-teen-texting-while-driving\/#BlogPosting"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.lawtoncates.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to Prevent Teen Texting While Driving","item":"https:\/\/www.lawtoncates.com\/blog\/how-to-prevent-teen-texting-while-driving\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]