Simple things that you can do to prevent distracted driving

Simple things that you can do to prevent distracted driving

In the past, it wasn’t unusual for people who had way over the legal blood alcohol limit to get behind the wheel of a car and attempt to drive even though they were impaired. Deaths due to drunk driving were, sadly, more of a common occurrence.

However, today the incidents of accidents caused by drunk drivers and drunk driving deaths have steadily declined due to better enforcement of the laws and to the efforts of groups such as MADD and SADD.

Unfortunately, as the incidence of drunk driving accidents has declined, a new threat has emerged, and it has the potential for being even deadlier than drunk driving — distracted driving. The number of distraction-related crashes has been rapidly increasing as have the number of deaths involving distracted driving.

Whether you’re a newly licensed driver or one with years of experience and lots of miles driving in all types of conditions, you’re not immune to the threats that distracted driving poses on today’s highways.

Advances in technology are constantly introducing new devices, apps, and games for your phones. But, you can make smart choices to prevent distracted driving by:

  • Putting your phone away while your driving to avoid the temptation of texting
  • Putting your phone on silent or even placing it and other electronic devices in the glove box
  • Setting the preset buttons on your radio, music player, or GPS before leaving your house

Many people think that hands-free headsets are the perfect solution to distracted driving, but the act of talking on the phone while you’re driving can still be very distracting and, therefore, dangerous.

Stats

According to TeenSafe, distracted driving accounts for about 25% of all motor vehicle crash fatalities. While there are many activities that can cause distracted driving such as eating and drinking, talking to others in your car as you’re driving, or fiddling with the radio, texting is the most serious.

If you’re sending or reading a text, you’re going to take your eyes off of the road for an average of 5 seconds. Driving at 55 mph, you’ll cover the distance equal to the length of a football field in those 5 seconds, but your eyes won’t be on the road! Texting while driving increases the risk of car accidents by 23 times and has a negative impact on the safety of all drivers on today’s highways.

Consequences

Texting and driving or driving distracted for any reason has become a real problem on today’s roadways and is expected to get worse in the coming years. A number of local and state laws have been put into place banning the use of cell phones and text messaging for all drivers.

If you’ve been the victim of a personal injury caused by an auto accident in which distracted driving was a factor, you may be entitled to compensation from the negligent or at-fault driver by filing a personal injury lawsuit. Greg Yates, Los Angeles personal injury attorney, has a reputation for achieving the best possible settlements, jury verdicts, or awards for his clients.

Call our office to schedule your free consultation.