Texting While Driving. Why?

Image from source, AOL

Texting while driving has been in the news a lot. There are public service announcements by Mark Salling of Glee urging people not to do it. I've even witnessed a few people doing it.  What I don't understand is why anyone would ever do it.  I remember one time when I wanted to use my phone's GPS system while driving, but I thought better of it, and pulled over.  Texting while driving has never even occurred to me as something I might want to do.

Now, I hear about "text addiction." And that teenagers are sending thousands of texts per month. Again, why?  I myself was late to the game when it comes to cell phones. I'd had one for a few years before I ever texted.  I'm like, "hey, this thing here is a phone, and I can call people with it."  Texting seemed kind of low-tech, what with it's tiny monochrome screen. It seemed like going back to the old computer BBS, only a little less useful. But being married to a flight attendant, I soon found that texting was very useful for those times when talking wouldn't be practical or possible.  These days, I might text a dozen or so times per week.

But how does this become an addiction?  And how could people be so addicted, that they'd text while driving? It's beyond stupid, and beyond my comprehension.  By the way, the first sentence of the excerpted article below is not true.

[Excerpt]

'TXTNG KILLS' Anti-Texting Thumb Bands Get Thumbs Up from Police



We've all been guilty of it at some point, especially the harried business travelers among us, but texting while driving is not only illegal in most places -- it can be fatal. Several campaigns are under way to encourage people to kick the habit, including a few smartphone apps. . .
 
Read more at: AOL