We have always known about the risks of drunk drivers on the road but what about drivers on their phones also known as “distracted drivers?”
The National Safety Council reports that the use of cell phones while driving is responsible for 1.6 million crashes each year. At least 660,000 people use their phone each day while driving and 390,000 injuries occur each year from accidents caused by a driver that was texting! Keep in mind there is an argument by the NSC that distracted driving crashes and fatalities are under-reported and the toll may be significantly higher!
Some researchers would argue that texting while driving is more dangerous than talking on the phone because you are distracted on many levels: manually (holding the phone and pressing buttons), visually (looking at the phone) and cognitively (thinking about something other than driving). Responding to a text message takes your attention away from the road for approximately five (5) seconds. Driving at 55mph, you could travel the length of an entire football field!
- Texting while driving causes a 400 % increase in time spent with eyes off the road.
- 25% of car accidents (1 out of every 4) in the U.S are caused by texting and driving.
- Texting while driving is six (6) times more likely to cause an accident than driving drunk.
- USDOT reports that texting while driving increases your risk of being in a crash or near-crash by 23 times.
- It is estimated that there were 3,450 fatalities in 2016 due to distracted driving.
Texting while driving has consequences for all age groups but teenagers are the most greatly impacted. AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimates that more than 58% of teen crashes are due to distracted driving. A poll taken by AAA reported that 94% of teenage drivers understand and acknowledge the dangers of texting and driving but 35% said they do it anyway. Again, keep in mind these statistics are most likely much higher due to distracted driving being under-reported.
- In 2016, 263 teens (age 15 to 19) were killed as a result of distracted driving
- In 2016, 10% of all teen crash fatalities involved distracted driving
Distracted driving has been around for quite some time but texting and driving adds even more danger to the road. We encourage you to put your phone down and set an example to your children and your passengers.
If you are ever injured by a negligent driver, contact us at (904) 358-3300 for a free consultation. You are under no obligation to hire our firm after your consult. #LearnYourRights