Everyday, motorists are faced with complex issues when they get behind the wheel of their vehicle. While drivers in Massachusetts understand the dangers associated with distracted driving, it becomes more and more challenging to put the phone down while they are operating a motor vehicle. With the constant advancements in technology, travelers on the roadway do not only have to worry about drivers being distracted while talking and texting on their phone. Now there is constant access to email, social media and endless applications that tend to keep a drivers attention more than the road before them does.
What are the facts and statistics when it comes to distracted driving? Although the dangers and risks associated with texting and driving and other distracting activities have been well known for years, the CDC and others have collected data to develop vital statistics regarding distracted drivers and the dangers of car accidents.
According to the CDC, when a driver is reading a text, this is equivalent to the driver diving the length of a football field at a rate of 55 mph. The U.S. Department of Transportation asserts that 46 states plus Washington, D.C. have rules and regulations that ban texting while driving. This might be the result of the fact that sending one text while driving increases a driver’s chance of crashing by six times.
Young drivers are not the only culprits. Common Sense Media found that 56 percent of parents admitted to checking their cellphones while they were driving. However, Liberty Mutual Insurance and SADD claim that 70 percent of teen driver confirm that they use cellphone applications while they are driving. Lastly, the National Highway Safety Administration reports the more than 8 people are killed in crashes involving a distracted driver everyday in the U.S.
As these facts and statistics illustrate, distracted driving is not only a concern on the roadway but also a common cause of serious and fatal collisions. Therefore, it is important that victims of a car accident understand the cause of the crash. If investigation reveals that a negligent driver caused a crash because of distractions, it is possible for the victim to recover damages and losses through a personal injury suit.
Source: Cnn.com, “Distracted Driving: The vital statistics,” Sept. 2, 2016