Distracted Driving...It's Probably Not Going To Get Better Soon

October 19, 2012

We have all done it. Glancing at a radio dial, changing songs on an iPod, zooming in on a GPS, and doing anything with our smart phone...it was only a momentary glance, we tell ourselves, and nothing bad happened.

The problem, however, is that you happen to do this while you are driving. At 70 mph. Let's do the math, in glancing at anything, for three seconds at 70 mph, means you have traveled 308 feet, or the distance of one football field.

If you are texting, it's even worse. A study by Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that "the risk of crash or near-crash event 23.2 times as high as non-distracted driving."

They calculated that a texting event required the driver to take their eyes off the road for a 4.6-second period over a six-second interval.

Highway Fatalities

In 2010, fewer people died on the highways than in any year since 1949. However, we should not congratulate ourselves too quickly, as we still had 32,788 killed in one year.

Of that, 3092 people were killed in crashes where distracted driving played a role. A lesser reported number, but one that carries great significance for those involved, is the additional 416,000 persons who were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver. Many of those injuries will leave life-long scars and health issues for those involved.

Text and smartphone use will increase, as each new innovation in the iPhone or Android makes them every more attractive and essential for how people live and interact. The fact that Smartphones are really small computers that we can carry around in our pockets and purses makes it inevitable that they will become more embedded in our society.

However, that means the problem of distracted will grow worse as more drivers become addicted to their phones. A foreshadowing of that is provided by the statistic that drivers younger than age 20 have the largest proportion of distracted drivers in fatal crashes. Eleven percent these drivers involved in fatal crashes were distracted.

A Technological Fix to a Technological Problem?

Of course, apps have been developed that are designed to prevent distracted driving (at least by a phone) by turning the phone off while the car is in motion. Currently there are various types, some only turn the phone off for the driver in a specific car and others prevent use in any moving vehicle.

They have their merits, but the most obvious device is our own common sense. The easiest way (or most difficult?) is simply to turn the phone off when you are in the car. The Department of Transportation is hoping publicity and more aggressive law enforcement can help. However, we all can help by remembering to turn off the phone and pay attention the business of driving.

Article provided by Law Offices of Arturo Dopazo, III, P.A.
Visit us at dopazolaw.com