Hypeline World News Report

Texting and driving has been shown to cause accidents by inattentive drivers. The practice has been perceived as a dangerous driving distraction by insurance companies, state and local governments, and some law enforcement agencies.

New Hampshire, Illinois, and Oregon texting bans go into effect in 2010, making 19 states that have current laws prohibiting the practice. Texting includes internet use, email, and sending or receiving text messages while operating a motor vehicle.

Inattentive driving has always been a safety concern, but it seems that texting is being blamed for the vast majority of accidents. Applying make-up, eating, shaving, smoking, using audio and video equipment, laptop computers, and GPS systems certainly plays an important role in distracting drivers, but several state governments are attempting to put the entire blame on hand held wireless devices merely because of their widespread use.

Laws covering inattentive driving are already on the books. Do Americas really need more big government intrusion into their personal lives that deal with texting and driving when a properly administered simple driver awareness program would suffice?

Boosting its global reach as well as its position in the affiliate marketing arena, multichannel marketing service Bloosky Interactive has acquired PPC analytics firm Tracking202 and its subsidiaries in an all-cash transaction.

Tracking202’s technology and 22,000-plus member base will be integrated with Bloosky’s agency functions. Tracking202’s executive team will stay on to build the company’s services with the added resources of Bloosky, and the company will continue to operate from San Francisco.

“Bloosky’s vendors and partners are the ones who will reap the greatest reward from this acquisition,” said Bloosky CEO Matt Cook. “Our relationships and broad-based reach will translate into high-volume response rates, sustainable revenue and high-quality customer transactions.”

This is Bloosky’s fifth acquisition in the last two years.

The number of messages cellphone users sent jumped from 48 billion in December 2007 to 110 billion a year later. We’re becoming a nation of texters. According to data released Tuesday by the Census Bureau, Americans fired off 110 billion text messages in December 2008. In the same month in 2007, they sent 48 billion.

A full blown teenage trend.

US teens ages 13 - 17.

Teens are still developing their communication habits. So why is texting a teen trend? It’s efficient, and it’s private. Teens can text silently in a car’s back seat or in the family room without parents listening in on the conversation. The texts might be coded — maybe a simple emoticon or a LOL (laugh out loud), but it’s a way for young people to maintain a connection throughout the school day.

Not that teens are the only texters. About 65% of adults send or receive texts as well. Texting is convenient, fast and doesn’t require full attention.