Photo Credit: William Holtkamp

Researchers in Britain claim that texting behind the wheel is more dangerous than driving while under the influence of alcohol or marijuana.

The study, carried out on young drivers aged 17-24 using a simulator, found that reaction time slowed by 35% when they were writing or reading text messages while driving. In comparison, reaction time deteriorated by 21% for those under the influence of marijuana, and by 12% at the legal alcohol limit.
In addition, the study carried out by Transport Research Laboratory for the RAC Foundation, found that steering control worsened by 91% for those who were distracted by texts, compared to 35% for those who had smoked marijuana.

Drivers were also less able to maintain safe distances from other cars and tended to drift out of their lane more often while texting, the study concluded.

Nearly half of all drivers aged 18 to 24 in Britain admit to texting while driving, according to an earlier RAC poll of over 2000 young drivers.

An estimated 20 percent of U.S. drivers are sending or receiving text messages while behind the wheel, according to a Nationwide Insurance study. And, according to another poll, that number skyrockets to 66 percent when drivers 18 to 24 are isolated.

Two states, Washington and New Jersey, have made driving while texting illegal. Sixteen more are trying to pass similar legislation.