According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 3,000 people died in 2010 from distracted driving-related car accidents. Distracted driving is defined as anything that takes a motorist’s eyes off the road for more than two seconds. This can include eating behind the wheel, putting on make-up, turning to talk with a child in the back-seat, reading directions or the newspaper, trying to pick up something off the floor, or choosing music to listen to.
As more and more technologies get introduced into our vehicles, distracted driving has also come to include texting-while-driving, talking on a handheld mobile phone, accessing the Internet or fiddling with other electronic devices. Technology has created many opportunities for safer driving and navigation but, at the same time, when used incorrectly, technology can distract a driver from the important task at hand—driving.
In this way, distracted driving can lead to fatal car accidents. A distracted truck driver may not realize that he or she has drifted across the center line and collide full-speed with oncoming traffic causing catastrophic injuries. A distracted bus driver could r
isk the lives of dozens of passengers. A car can be a deadly weapon if not operated safely, and a distracted driver could put motorcyclists, bicyclists, pedestrians and other motorists at unnecessary risk.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 3,000 people died in 2010 from distracted driving-related car accidents. In Florida, during the first 10 months of 2011, there were 2,218 car accidents involving a distracted driver. These accidents were preventable.
April was Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and while it has come and gone, it is a problem to remain aware of all year round. The NHTSA website has plenty of resources on how to talk to teens about distracted driving, how to prevent distracted driving in your community and stories from families who have lost a loved one in a distracted driving car accident.
Bill To Ban Texting-While-Driving Fails In Florida House
Despite ongoing efforts by some lawmakers to ban texting-while-driving in Florida, Florida is one of 11 states in the U.S. still without a ban of this kind. Bills to ban text messaging by all drivers and to prohibit the use of handheld electronic devices by drivers ages 18 and younger failed to make it through the Florida legislature. These bills also included provisions to ban text messaging by school bus drivers and to add distracted driving education to new driver curriculum.
It is likely that Florida lawmakers will continue to try to reduce distracted driving car accidents by pushing for the passage of anti-distracted-driving legislation during the next legislative session.
If you have been injured by a distracted driver in Florida, contact a qualified personal injury attorney to discuss your case.
