Due to the advancement of technology, any individual can have unlimited access to text messages, social media, and entertainmentthrough their cell phone. Although cell phones are useful to have, it often leads to distracted driving. This may put drivers and the people they share the road with at risk of a car accident, ultimately leading to vehicular damage, injuries, and even fatalities.
What is Considered Distracted Driving?
Distracted driving often involves texting behind the wheel; however, drivers can distract themselves in a variety of different ways. Any behavior that takes a driver’s attention off the road is considered distracted driving and is negligent.
Examples of distracted driving include:
- Texting while driving
- Grooming while driving
- Eating or drinking while driving
- Having a distracting conversation
- Engaging with a GPS
Risks of Distracted Driving
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2017, distracted driving lead to 3,166 deaths. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least nine people die from distracted driving every day in the United States.
According to studies, a driver takes an average of five seconds to answer a text. Five seconds does not sound like a long stretch of time; however, it is long enough to miss a stop sign, another driver making an emergency brake, or a pedestrian crossing the street. Ultimately, five seconds can impact the driver’s life and the lives of those around them.
How to Promote Safe Driving Behaviors
In order to prevent an accident, it is important to actively take steps to avoid distracted driving. One important step drivers should follow is to remove distracting items from arm’s reach. For instance, those who find themselves texting while driving should try to put their phone in the backseat. New drivers should be reminded of the risks associated with distracted driving and be taught to silence and store their phones in closed compartments, such as the glove box.
Employers must create and enact policies that discourage and prohibit any form of distracted driving. Parents should also teach their teen driver to practice safe driving throughout the learning period. This helps promote attentive driving and discourage distractions, especially with cell phones.
Towson Personal Injury Lawyers at Huesman, Jones & Miles, LLC Help Victims Impacted by Distracted Driving
If you or a loved one suffered from a car accident due to a driver’s negligence, you need to contact a Towson personal injury lawyer at Huesman, Jones & Miles, LLC. Our lawyers understand the financial and emotional difficulties that result from a motor vehicle accident. Our clients will receive the best legal counsel to hold negligent parties accountable and help obtain entitled compensation. If you are interested in speaking to a personal injury lawyer, contact us online or call us at 443-589-0150 for a free consultation.
With offices located in Hunt Valley and Towson, Maryland, we proudly serve clients throughout Baltimore, Baltimore County, Bel Air, Bentley Springs, Columbia, Freeland, Hereford, Hampton, Westminster, Essex, Monkton, Sparks Glencoe, Parkton, Phoenix, Pikesville, White Hall, Carroll County, Harford County, and Howard County.