We often hear about the dangers of texting while driving, and it is certainly a hazardous activity.
However, texting is only one example of distracted driving. There are many others.
A little background
According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration or NHTSA, distracted driving was responsible for 3,142 fatalities across the nation in 2019. Distractions are many and include eating and drinking, reaching for something dropped on the floor of the car, talking to passengers or fiddling with the radio or GPS system. If you are a frequent driver, you have no doubt seen other motorists who are actually reading or applying makeup while driving.
Cellphone risks
NHTSA data from 2015 indicates that some 660,000 drivers were using their cellphones, just during the daylight hours. That year, 391,000 people suffered injuries and 3,477 people died in crashes involving distracted drivers. The reason sending or reading a text is so dangerous is that it requires your full attention. You will take your eyes off the road for at least five seconds. As the NHTSA points out, at a speed of 55 miles per hour, that is equivalent to “driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed.”
Help for victims
In addition to internal injuries and broken bones, serious consequences of a car crash include traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury. If you should become the injured victim of an accident for which a distracted driver is responsible, you have a right to expect full and fair compensation to cover your current and future medical expenses and more. Please contact our law firm to learn more.
