Distracted driving is a serious problem nationwide. What is distracted driving? Typically, any action that involves taking your hands off the wheel, eyes off the road or attention away from driving is a distraction. Distracted driving endangers not just the driver and his or her passengers, but also pedestrians, bystanders and others on the roadway.
What You Should Know
According to statistics posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in the year 2012, 3,328 people died and about 421,000 were injured in car accidents involving a distracted driver. This reflected a 9 percent increase in the number of distracted driving-related injuries compared to the previous year.
As of December 2013, 153.3 billion text messages were sent in the United States each month. Ten percent of all drivers under the age of 20 who are involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crash. This age group has the largest population of distracted drivers, statistics show. In fact, drivers in their
20s make up 27 percent of distracted drivers involved in fatal crashes.
We live in a world that has been more or less taken over by the need to use electronic devices. Engaging in tasks such as reaching for a phone, dialing, texting or checking email increases the risk of a crash by three times. Think about this for a minute. Five seconds is the average time your eyes are off the road when you are texting. If you are traveling at 55 mph, five seconds is all it takes to cover the entire length of a football field.
Examples of distractions while driving include texting, using a cell phone or smartphone, eating, drinking, talking to passengers, grooming, applying makeup, using a navigation system, watching a video or adjusting a radio or CD player, etc.
What Can You Do?
Here are a few safety measures we can all take to prevent driving while distracted:
• Keep your focus only on the task at hand – driving. Actively scan the road, use your mirrors and watch out for pedestrians and cyclists.
• Make adjustments to your radio, climate controls and GPS systems before you hit the road, not when you're driving.
• Do not groom or apply makeup when you are driving.
• Eat your meals and snacks before or after your trip. Avoid messy foods that could cause you to take your hands off the wheel.
• Put your cell phones and electronic devices out of sight. Research shows that even using hands-free devices can be distracting.
• If you must make a call or read an email, pull off the road and stop your vehicle in a safe place.
Remember, distracted driving amounts to negligent driving. If you have been injured in a car accident caused by a distracted driver, you can seek compensation for the injuries, damages and losses caused. These types of accidents can and should be prevented. No text or email is as important as a human life. Distracted driving is simply not worth it.
