Distracted Driving Causes Over 5,000 Deaths Per Year
The teenage preoccupation with mobile communication is proving to be very dangerous when it comes to distracted driving.
September 14, 2012
It is hard to picture a teenager without a cellphone in hand. Unfortunately, the teenage preoccupation with mobile communication is proving to be very dangerous when it comes to distracted driving. Distracted driving contributes to the death of over 5,000 people each year, and teens are involved in more distracted driving fatal accidents than any other age group.Cellphones and Driving, a Dangerous Combination
Texting while driving multiplies the risk of crashing a large vehicle by 23 times. In cars, just dialing a phone number more than doubles the crash risk. Even talking on your cellphone can take precious attention away from the road. Drivers, especially teens, may think it only takes them a few seconds to dial a phone number or send a text message. This may be true, but a car driving 55 mph drives about the length of a football field in just 4.6 seconds: enough time to cause a devastating crash.
Teens Admit to Distracted Driving
A recent survey showed that over half of high school seniors admit to texting while driving. Teens are the most vulnerable driving population. They are inexperienced behind the wheel and need to have their full concentration on the road. When teens, or any drivers, have their attention on their cell phones, they often swerve in and out of lanes and have delayed reaction times.
Five states have made texting and driving against the law for teenagers and 39 states outlaw texting and driving for all drivers. The bottom line is that there is no safe way to text and drive, and in states where texting and driving is illegal, authorities are cracking down.
Car crashes that cause injury are a tragedy for the injured and their loved ones. Crashes involving distracted driving are easily avoidable. People injured by a distracted driver may be entitled to legal relief. A personal injury attorney is a great resource for people considering legal action against a distracted driver.
Article provided by Law Offices of Lori S. Murray
Visit us at http://www.lorimurraylaw.com