Distracted driving kills indiscriminately. That fact struck home for one Ohio man distracted by a car accident as he passed it. It took a few minutes for him to recognize his own vehicle, the one that carried his twin daughters. Emergency workers took their broken but living bodies to the hospital, where the unconscious 17-year-old girls never came around. Suffering multiple fractures, and spleen and liver damage, they passed away without their mother even being able to tell them goodbye.

The 23-year-old driver who rear-ended them was among the estimated 80 percent of all drivers who use cell phones while driving. He did serve six months in jail. WDTN Channel 2 in Dayton has reawakened this recent case as a poignant reminder, spearheading a public awareness campaign about texting while driving.

The TV station reminds viewers that nearly 20 percent of all fatal accidents involving distracted driving result from cell phone use. Together with an Ohio college and a car dealer, they offer viewers free "Wait 2 Text" thumb pads. Someone considering texting while driving will see those pads first and they will hopefully reconsider texting while behind the wheel.

While the idea of texting and driving as a dangerous mix may seem obvious, drivers also need to recognize that talking on a cell phone distracts significantly. Recent studies show that it impairs driving skills more than driving while intoxicated, even with hands-free devices. This is because it engages different parts of the brain than just talking with passengers. The resulting cognitive bottleneck lengthens response time and diminishes the ability to recognize sudden threats in the first place.

Sources: WDTN.com, "Twins killed by distracted driver," Aug. 31, 2011

Science Daily, "Talking Distractions: Why Cell Phones And Driving Don't Mix," June 1, 2008