Texting citations: A glimpse of our addiction to cell phones

As The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Wednesday, motor vehicle fatalities in Georgia increased 34 percent over the last two years. One likely culprit: our addiction to texting and otherwise fiddling with our cell phones while driving.

Traffic citations offer a glimpse of that addiction. In 2010 Georgia prohibited adults from texting while driving and prohibited anyone under 18 with a learner’s permit from using wireless devices while driving.

Last year the state Department of Driver Services processed 3,866 citations for texting while driving and underage wireless use. That’s up more than 30 percent from 2014.

You can read more about the rise in motor vehicle fatalities in Georgia and across the country here.