An 18-year-old male was killed and his 15-year-old companion was injured when they were struck by a distracted driver in Phoenix, Ariz., on July 3, 2010. Manuel Rodriguez and the unidentified youth were walking on a sidewalk when a 2006 Chevy Colorado swerved off the road and struck them. Rodriguez's body had to be pulled from beneath the vehicle. The youth sustained minor injuries.

The driver of the truck told authorities that he was momentarily distracted by his children in the backseat. According to the Phoenix police, the driver was not impaired.

Distracted driving is defined by the U.S. Department of Transportation as "any non-driving activity a person engages in that has the potential to distract him or her from the primary task of driving and increase the risk of crashing." In 2008, distracted driving contributed to 16 percent of all fatal crashes and 21 percent of all vehicle accidents. Almost 6,000 deaths and more than half a million injuries were caused by distracted drivers nationwide that year. Most distracted drivers are younger than age 20, according to a National Highway Transportation Safety Association report. Common distractions include using a cell phone, eating and drinking, talking to passengers, grooming, reading (including maps), using a PDA or navigation system, watching a video and changing the radio station, CD or MP3 player.

Arizona lawmakers intend to introduce new legislation this year to ban text messaging and other cell phone use while driving. Thirty-one states have laws banning texting while driving. Eight states ban the use of hand-held devices altogether.