1) A study found that texting while driving is more dangerous than driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, as it slows reaction time by 35% compared to 21% for marijuana and 12% for alcohol. 2) A tow truck driver in New York who was texting and talking on the phone crashed into several vehicles, causing them to crash and one to fly into a home's pool and injure three people. 3) Several states have passed laws banning texting for all drivers and some have additional restrictions for novice drivers or school bus drivers, aimed at reducing accidents caused by distracted driving.

1. Texting While Driving…The True Harsh Facts of Why There is a Law Against itAnd What YOU Can Do To Save a Life

2. Texting While Driving Is More Dangerous Than Drugs or Alcohol?!The Transport Research Laboratory for The British Royal Automobile Club Foundation discovered that it more dangerous to text while driving even when compared to drivers who were under the influence of drugs or alcoholDrive and Texters are one third SLOWER than if they were coherent and not texting – this was compared to a person at the DUI limit or under the influence of marijuana. Text messaging lowered reaction time by 35 percent, while people high on marijuana slowed down 21 percent and those who were drunk slowed down by 12 percent.

3. New York Tow Truck Driver Texts, hits cars, lands in pool injuring 3!

4. Imagine if YOUR Children Were in That Pool Three people were injured Wednesday morning when a flatbed tow truck crashed into a car and careened into an in-ground pool on Tonawanda Creek Road. He was talking on one cell phone and texting on the other. The tow truck driver reportedly struck the back of the car, causing it to spin around and land in a ditch, then continued, swerving off to the north side of the road and crashing through a backyard fence.

5. What would you do if your teenager was driving one of those cars? One of the cars it was towing flew off and struck the house crushing the air conditioner and gas main. One of the motorcycles being towed flew off the truck as well, landing underneath the car on the lawn. The tow truck ended up with its front end in the home’s in-ground pool. The tow truck driver was talking on the phone when the accident occurred, and he had been sending text messages on a separate phone.The driver “didn’t even apply the brakes” before striking the car at the intersection. The tow truck driver will be charged with reckless endangerment, reckless driving, following too closely and use of a cell phone while driving.

6. The U.S. Transportation Department reported that 5,870 people were killed and 515,000 were injured last year in crashes connected to driver distraction, often involving mobile devices or cell phones.

7. Text Messaging: 30 states, D.C. and Guam ban text messaging for all drivers. 11 of these laws were enacted in 2010. 26 states, D.C., and Guam have primary enforcement. In the other four, texting bans are secondary. Novice Drivers: An additional 8 states prohibit text messaging by novice drivers.School Bus Drivers: 2 states restrict school bus drivers from texting while driving.

8. New York State Police conducted their third “Operation Hang Up” sweep on the Thruway and I-84 (mid-Hudson Valley) during early May. The original “Hang Up” of 2009 yielded 816 tickets for use of handheld electronic devices.

9. 2010 Text Messaging Legislation for New York State:A10063: Makes driving and using a portable handheld device a primary offense in the state of New York, meaning law officers can stop and cite drivers for that reason alone. Filed at the request of the governor. Latest action: Approved by the Assembly in a unanimous vote on July 1. To the Senate, where prospects are uncertain. (Weisenberg)S6992: Makes driving and using a portable handheld device a primary offense. Same as A10063, above. Filed at the request of the governor. (Dilan)

10. Will These Help us?A09802: Would make use of a portable electronic device while driving a primary offense, given police the right to stop and cite violators for that reason alone. Also calls for distracted driving education efforts in pre-licensing materials and tests, as well as defensive driving courses and traffic school. (Quinn)A09229: Changes wording of existing law against use of handheld electronics while driving. Would no longer require defendants to prove they were not violating the law, only to provide evidence that is “tending to show” no violation occurred. Same as S06810. (Gantt) S06810: Same as A09229, above. (Diaz)

11. What YOU can do to help…Go to http://www.dosomething.org/thumb-wars and spread the word!These thumb socks will protect you from being able to text while driving!Car crashes are the leading killer of teens in the US and texting while you drive makes you 4 times more likely to cause a crash. That's why DoSomething.org and Sprint are declaring a war on thumbs and we want YOU to join the fight.

12. Drive Now, TXT L8TR