Distracted Driving Accidents

Almost everyone can agree that texting while driving is dangerous. However, many drivers continue to do it, causing them to be distracted while driving. Cell phone use while driving has become a common practice today. Many people use their cell phones while driving for both personal and business use. Each time people take their focus off the road, even for a second, they are putting their own lives and the lives of others at risk.

Distracted Driving is a Serious Threat

Distracted driving, driving while intoxicated and speeding are the leading causes of serious and fatal injury crashes. Many of the publicized distracted driving cases involve youthful drivers who were texting while driving, but young adults aren’t the only ones putting themselves and others at risk on our roads. To some degree, almost everyone is guilty of distracted driving. For example, talking with a passenger, leaning over to pick up a fallen object, changing the radio station, checking a GPS, or using a cell phone can take the driver’s attention off the road and cause serious accidents.

Accidents Can Happen in a Blink of an Eye

Accidents can take place within seconds of a driver taking his or her eyes off the road. A naturalistic driving study was conducted by the NHTSA and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, which used sophisticated technology to track drivers in their own vehicles. The study found that 80% of crashes and 65% of near crashes involving driver inattention occurred within three seconds of the distracted behavior.

According to another study using driving simulations, it was found that texting drivers were six times more likely to be involved in collisions. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that the risk is 23 times more for truck and heavy vehicle drivers.