New study shows distracted driving still prevalent in US

April 10, 2013 (Press-News.org) New study shows distracted driving still prevalent in US

Article provided by Law Office Of Joseph Rhoades Esq.
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When you get behind the wheel, how often do you make a call on your cellphone? How about text messaging? Do you read or send texts while driving? A new study published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's weekly Morbidity and Mortality Report examined those very questions in the United States and seven different countries in Europe. The results -- particularly those from the U.S. -- were disheartening, considering the nationwide efforts made to spread awareness of the dangers of distracted driving in recent years.

The study surveyed drivers between the ages of 18 and 64 to determine how frequently they drove while distracted by cellphones. According to the study, 69 percent of Americans reported that they had talked on their cellphone on at least one occasion during the previous 30 days. In addition, 31 percent of the Americans surveyed admitted that they had sent a text message while driving during the past month.

It should come as no surprise then -- as a large number of people across the country continue to engage in these dangerous behaviors -- that the number of people killed in distracted driving auto accidents has been on the rise. In 2010, 3,267 died in such collisions -- in 2011, that figure rose to 3,331 fatalities. In addition, people often sustain personal injuries in distracted driving crashes -- in 2011, 387,000 people reportedly were injured in such accidents.

Avoid distracted driving collisions in Delaware

To prevent such catastrophes, many states -- including Delaware -- have passed legislation prohibiting dangerous distractions while behind the wheel. Delaware's distracted driving laws prohibit some of the most hazardous types of behaviors.

In Delaware, drivers are not allowed to text while behind the wheel. Text messaging bans have been especially popular across the country, due to the particularly dangerous nature of texting while driving. A Virginia Tech study revealed that drivers who text while behind the wheel are 23 times more likely to cause a car accident than their non-distracted counterparts.

Motorists in Delaware are also prohibited from using handheld cellphones while driving. The strictest laws in Delaware govern novice and bus drivers in the state. Both groups are banned from using cellphones of any type -- even if they have hands-free capabilities -- while behind the wheel.

When someone is injured in a motor vehicle accident caused by a distracted driver, he or she may be entitled to compensation for the harm caused. If you or a loved one has been injured in such a collision, seek the advice of an experienced personal injury attorney to ensure your rights are protected.