| September 12, 2010 marked the two-year | | | | drivers passing through Orange County. Taking |
| anniversary of the tragic train accident in | | | | random samples of 4,000 each time, the Auto |
| Chatsworth, California that took the lives of 24 | | | | Club documented a 70% decline in texting while |
| passengers and an engineer and injured 102 | | | | behind the wheel within just four months of the |
| others. At about 4:22 p.m. that day westbound | | | | January 2009 ban. The numbers, however, |
| Metrolink train 111 was involved in a head-on | | | | steadily climbed, with the Auto Club recording |
| collision with eastbound Union Pacific Railroad (UP) | | | | nearly twice as many drivers texting by July 2010. |
| freight train LOF65-12. The Metrolink | | | | Whereas 1.4% of motorists were observed |
| train--consisting of a locomotive and three | | | | texting in mid to late 2008, 2.7% were caught in |
| passenger cars--derailed its locomotive and lead | | | | the act last July. |
| passenger car, the impact causing the locomotive | | | | Out of all the drivers surveyed by the Auto Club, |
| to telescope into the lead passenger coach by | | | | young women were observed texting-while-driving |
| approximately 52 feet. According to the National | | | | more frequently than young men; however, |
| Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), there were | | | | young men were more likely to use iPods and |
| two main factors that contributed to the accident: | | | | similar devices. |
| the Metrolink engineer failed to respond to a red | | | | The drivers observed texting the most were |
| signal because he was text messaging; and there | | | | young women, with 4.3% texting at any time. |
| was no positive train control system to stop the | | | | While only 2.1% of young men were seen texting |
| train short of the red signal. Despite this tragic | | | | messaging, 3.1% were observed using ipods and |
| train accident, and a statewide ban on | | | | smart phones compared to only 1.6% of young |
| texting-while-driving, Californians have continued to | | | | women. In a poll conducted by Seventeen |
| engage in this extremely dangerous form of | | | | Magazine, 84% of teenagers reported that they |
| distracted driving. | | | | were aware of the dangers of sending text |
| Since 2008, shortly before California prohibited the | | | | messages from behind the wheel, while 86% |
| use of cell phones while driving, the Automobile | | | | admitted to engaging in the risky behavior despite |
| Club of Southern California has been conducting | | | | knowing the dangers. |
| studies of cell phone use and texting among | | | | |