It’s hard for young people to stay off their phones. It’s where their entire social life is, and where they play fun, interactive games like Pokemon Go and CandyCrush. When this turns into technology addiction in teens, it can become a major struggle for teens to stay off their phones at all times – even when behind the wheel.
All over the highway, you’ll see signs saying “Don’t Text and Drive”. Many teens and adults completely ignore this sign. Distracted driving is a major cause of car accidents across the country.
A deadly issue
According to Distraction.gov, in 2014 3179 people were killed and 431,000 were injured by distracted drivers. When teens and adults look at their phones while driving, they are not paying attention to the road. This can lead to terrible accidents that could have been avoided if people would just put down their phones.
Technology addiction in teens makes it extremely hard for teens to break the habit of constantly texting and using apps, even when driving. It’s important to talk to your teen about the risks they are taking by using their phone while driving. It’s not just their lives they are risking, but everyone else on the road.
Even conscientious teens text while driving
A study conducted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that conscientious teens are more likely to text and drive than other teens. The researchers attributed this to their need to be responsible and respond immediately in order to please others. For adults, the researchers found that extroverts were more likely to text and drive.
This research can be used to target specific groups that may be more likely to text and drive. It can prevent this behavior from happening in the future – which may save a lot of lives.
Ignoring texts and snapchat messages
Technology addiction in teens and adults may be responsible for why we can’t ignore messages while on the road. When we receive a text, our brains get surged with dopamine. The expectation of a reward, such as figuring out who is texting you and what the text is about, increases the surge of dopamine more than reading the text itself.
When our brain is in this reward state, it shuts off the part of our brain responsible for judgment and self control. That’s why it’s so hard to not respond to texts and calls while driving. It’s technology addiction in teens and adults in its purest form.
Getting help
If your daughter is struggling with technology addiction in teens or impulsive behavior that may lead to serious consequences for her, Solstice East might be able to help. Solstice East is a residential treatment center for teen girls ages 14-18.
For more information about Solstice East, please call (855) 672-7058 today.