Survey studies "DWT" - driving while texting

If you're driving in South Carolina, watch out. When it comes to text messaging while driving, the practice is most common in South Carolina, according to a report issued by vlingo Corp., a Cambridge firm that specializes in unlocking access to wireless data services.

And here's a refreshing news flash from a report that focuses on the text-messaging habits of cellphone users: Massachusetts did OK. According to legend, Bay State motorists are notorious for bad driving habits, but one bad habit they haven't massively embraced just yet is what vlingo calls "DWT" - driving while text-messaging.

Out of the 48 continental states examined in a survey of nearly 5,000 consumers, Massachusetts ranked 23rd. And New England as a region did well. Among the five states with the lowest percentage of respondents who admitted to "DWT" were Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire, said vlingo, which noted that Arizona had the lowest number of respondents who "DWT."

Today 23 states are considering legislation to ban driving while texting, according to vlingo, which added that 55 percent of survey respondents said they send text messages and 28 percent admit to DWT.

“In this data what we see is an approaching tidal wave of a public policy and safety issue,” vlingo chief executive Dave Grannan said in a statement. “Text messaging has become an integral part of how younger generations communicate, and right now their behavior and attitudes suggest that 50 percent will be driving and texting. This problem is only going to get worse and we need to develop public policies and technologies to address this challenge.”

DWT may be slow to catch on in New England, but it seems to be rampant in Dixie. Joining South Carolina among the states with the highest percentages of DWT practioners were Tennessee, Georgia, and Louisiana, the survey said.

In the South, where the drawls can be slow, apparently it's often the fingers that do the fast talking.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)