Eight years ago, a 19-year-old college student in Utah was driving in the Rocky Mountains. His car jumped a divider and hit another car, causing an accident that killed two scientists on their way to work. The driver said he had no idea what happened, but phone records showed he was texting. The case was one of the first texting-while-driving accidents and helped spark state laws and a national awareness campaign. A New York Times journalist, who won a Pulitzer prize for his reporting on the use of cell phones while driving, is out with a new book about the accident. Matt Richtel argues texting while driving could be as dangerous as drunk driving, but may prove even harder to curb.

Guests

  • Matt Richtel Technology reporter, New York Times. In 2010 he won the Pulitizer Prize for his series on the hazardous use of cellphones and other devices while driving.

Poll: Texting And Driving

Volkswagen's Anti-Texting PSA

Volkswagen put movie-goers in the drivers seat with this PSA, launched in June. Since it aired, it’s received more than 28 million views on YouTube.

 

Read A Featured Excerpt

Excerpted from A Deadly Wandering. William Morrow © Matt Richtel 2014. All Rights Reserved.

 

A Deadly Wandering

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