Driving and Texting

Goal: Is Car and Driver correct? Learn the difference in the stopping distance of a car when driving while texting vs. not texting.

Drivers today have many distractions that can keep them from applying braking as soon as possible. One of the biggest distractions while driving is texting. Many times drivers believe that a quick, short text is doable while driving. In this lab, you will collect data, and then determine how the stopping distance of a typical car is affected.


Procedure:

Assume you just received a text from your best friend while you are driving.

1. Determine a short 3-5 word response.

2. Text the response one handed (this is how you do it while driving). Record the time it takes to text the message. Be sure to time yourself on the first attempt at texting. Note: your speed in texting will increase and flaw your results.


3. Find 9 additional people to text the same response. Record their time to text.

_________, _________, _________, _________, _________,

_________, _________, _________, _________, _________,

4. Find all 3 averages of the time (mean, median, mode). Decide which average best represents your data.

Mean __________ Median __________ Mode __________

5. Using the internet, (record your source here:____________________________) find the stopping distance of a car traveling 35 mph and 70 mph on dry pavement with normal reaction times.

35 mph stopping distance__________
70 mph stopping distance__________

6. How many additional feet will a driver travel while sending the text. Use the mean, median, or mode from part 4 above to determine the travel distance.

7. How many football fields will the driver travel in the total stopping distance of the car?

8. Is Car and Driver correct?