Tweeting and Driving Just as Dangerous as Texting and Driving

A spotlight was placed on the safety risks of texting while driving. From the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to Oprah, the message is clear - do not text and drive.

However, there are some individuals on the road with the misguided mindset that "tweeting" (i.e. posting messages on Twitter) is somehow different from texting and therefore safe to do while driving. They might be thinking, "Hey, it's only 140 characters. That won't take long to type. I won't get distracted." Wrong.

Tweeting and driving is just as dangerous as texting and driving. Take, for example, the recent car crash death of a well-known Hollywood plastic surgeon. He was reportedly tweeting and driving prior to the accident that took his life, according to associatedcontent.com.

The reason tweeting while driving is so dangerous is that it involves you taking your eyes off the road and focusing on the message. This is a distraction, no matter how quick you can tweet. Car wrecks can occur in the blink of an eye so even if you're posting a 140 message "tweet" you are putting yourself, and any passengers, at risk for suffering a serious injury or losing your life in a crash.

The safest thing you can do is hold off on typing your message until you get home or have gotten out of your car. Do not take the risk. The potential consequences are just not worth it.

To learn more about the risks associated with distracted driving, check out this free consumer report our firm published.