18-year-old Aaron Deveau will be spending the next 2-4 years in prison, rather than college.  He recently became the first American convicted of vehicular homicide by texting under a new Massachusetts law.

On February 20, 2011, Deveau’s car swerved across the center line and crashed head on into a truck, killing 55-year-old father of three Donald Bowley.  The crash happened at 2:36PM.  Prosecutors in the case reported that Deveau sent a text message while driving at 2:35PM, and received a reply seconds before losing control of his car.

Texting while driving is now illegal in Pennsylvania, as well as 37 other states and Washington, DC.  It’s one of the most dangerous distractions facing drivers today, and also one of the most prevalent.

Having trouble putting the phone down while driving?  There’s an app for that.