Whether we’re at work, at home, or in a car, we live in a busy world. Distractions like phone calls and texts are part of that world, and they can be particularly dangerous when we’re behind the wheel of a vehicle. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving consists of any activity that diverts a driver’s attention from driving. That includes talking on a cell phone or texting.
The NHTSA relates that texting while driving is the most dangerous form of distraction. It says that sending or reading a text while driving takes a driver’s eyes off of the road for five seconds. At a speed of 55 mph, that’s comparable to driving the length of a football field while blindfolded.
One of the most popular forms of distracted driving today is the use of smartphones behind the wheel, which, according to the US Department of Transportation, is likely to create a crash risk 23 times higher than driving while not distracted. Mobile phone use is thus one of the factors that increase the chance of injury or fatality on the road. Particularly, there are some causes that might lead to the use of mobile phones behind the wheel among drivers such as the pressure of being productive while driving, traffic, desire to “stay connected” and frustration on the road.
Distracted driving is such a pervasive problem on roadways that U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that eight people per day die in the U.S. in distract driving accidents.
Distraction Drastically Increases the Risk of an Accident
According to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, when a driver is texting and driving, the risk of being in a crash is 23 times higher than when not texting. Additional research shows distracted driving to be as dangerous as drunk driving.
Distracted Drivers Need to be Held Accountable
Distracted driving accidents are perfectly preventable. Negligent drivers who cause them must be held accountable. That can be done by filing a personal injury claim or lawsuit.
Injuries from a distracted driving crash can affect a victim for the rest of his or her life. A knowledgeable and experienced auto accident attorney Seattle-based can tell you more about distracted driving and how it might be proved. You can put a dent in distract driving yourself by not making or taking calls or texts when you’re on the road.
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