It should be no surprise that distracted driving is the leading cause of car crashes not only in the United States, but worldwide. In the United States alone, 25-50% of all auto vehicle crashes are directly related to driver distraction. Distractions have existed as long as motor vehicle travel, but the advent of the cellular phone in the 1990s into today’s supercomputer in your pocket, not to mention on-board navigation and entertainment centers in vehicles, have only made the roads even more dangerous.
According to the federal National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving is any activity that diverts attention from driving, including talking or texting on your phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, fiddling with the stereo, entertainment or navigation system—anything that takes your attention away from the task of safe driving.
Texting is the most alarming distraction. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed. And I think we all know people on the interstate drive even faster than that.
You cannot drive safely unless the task of driving has your full attention. Any non-driving activity you engage in is a potential distraction and increases your risk of crashing.
Don’t take the risk. Lives and livelihoods are at stake. If you’ve been in a car crash and don’t know where to turn, call 502-633-6002 today for legal advice you can trust. The first consultation is free.