In the United States over 254 million people subscribed to such wireless communication devices as cell phones as of February 2008, compared with approximately 4.3 million in 1990, according to the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association. The latest research shows that while using a cell phone when driving may not be the most dangerous distraction, but because it is so prevalent it is by far the most common cause of this type of crash and near crash. The 2008 Carnegie Mellon study used brain activity to document that listening alone reduced by 37% the amount of brain activity associated with driving, which most commonly caused driver to weave out of their lane. Whether you want to believe it or not, your brain activity decreases significantly to an equivalence of a drunk driver when distracted by texting. And as of now, there are only two states: Washington, New Jersey, that ban texting while driving. There are as many as 30 countries that restrict or prohibit the use of cell phone while driving, but there are only 5 states, the District of Columbia and Virgin Islands that prohibit the use of cell phones while driving. Those soldiers out protecting our homeland, can not protect us from the very self destruction of 6 million crashes per year and one-half due to cell phone use. No one can predict the safety of the driver in the adjacent lane. Let us keep our family, friends, and children safe from the \"drunk drivers\" on our roads. Support this petition of banning cell phone texting while driving in the state of Virginia.

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