THE DANGERS OF DISTRACTED DRIVING
Car Accident Victims: The Dangers of Distracted Driving”
Car accidents are one of the leading causes of death and injuries in the United States. Every year, over six million car accidents occur, resulting in over three million injuries and over 40,000 deaths. One of the biggest dangers on the road is distracted driving. Distracted driving is any activity that diverts a person’s attention away from the task of driving.
This can include talking or texting on a cell phone, eating, drinking, talking to passengers, fiddling with the radio, or even daydreaming. Texting while driving is especially dangerous because it combines all three types of distraction: visual, manual, and cognitive. When you take your eyes off the road to look at your phone, your hands off the wheel to type, and your mind off of driving, you are putting yourself in danger and recklessly putting the lives of others at risk!
For example, in 2012, 3,328 people were killed in car accidents involving a distracted driver, and an estimated 421,000 people were injured. That’s why it’s so important to be aware of the dangers of distracted driving and make sure you are not doing anything that would take your attention away from the road. If you must use your phone while driving, pull over to a safe location first. And always remember: drive defensively, not aggressively. Aggressive driving (speeding, tailgating, etc.) is one of the leading causes of car accidents, so it’s important to always be aware of your surroundings and not put yourself or others in danger.
Distracted driving is not only dangerous, it’s also against the law in many states. If you are caught texting while driving, you could face a fine, and in some states you could even have your license suspended. So please, be safe and don’t text and drive!
FORMS OF DISTRACTED DRIVING
Texting is not the only form of distracted driving. Reaching down to pick something up, turning around to talk with passengers, fiddling with a touch screen device in your car, smoking, looking at documents, using the auto drive feature of some newer cars and not maintaining awareness, adjusting your GPS, putting on makeup, and even eating can all be forms of distracted driving. The rule of thumb is that anything that takes your eyes off the road can be considered distracted driving.
And finally, anything that takes your mind off of driving can also be considered distracted driving. This includes talking on the phone! Some states have stringent rules regarding the use of a cellphone to have a conversation while driving. You can use your bluetooth settings to mitigate the dangers, but if you are lost in conversation, you can still miss what is happening on the road. The Law Badgers suggest you pull over to a safe location if you absolutely must have a phone conversation.
CONTACT THE LAW BADGERS
As always, if you find yourself the victim of a distracted driver and they cause a car accident, the Law Badgers are here to help fight for your rights. Call us at 1.833.383.4448 or email us at info@lawbadgers.com to get in contact with our team!
