We’ve all heard it. Using technology while driving is a dangerous activity. So dangerous that it is considered to be just as dangerous as drunk driving. When a person picks up their cell phone while driving, both of their hands are no longer being used to drive, their eyes are no longer on the road and their mind is not focusing on the task of driving. These three distractions are what make texting and driving so dangerous.
But if motorists in Virginia and nationwide are well aware of these dangers, and collisions continue to occur because of this form of distracted driving, why is it not considered to be an epidemic? When it comes to current statistics for injuries and deaths caused by texting drivers, it is clear that we need to focus on efforts to prevent them.
Currently, texting and driving causes roughly 1.6 million accidents each year. This results in 330,000 injured victims. Each day, 11 teenagers die because of texting and driving. Finally, one-fourth of all traffic accidents are caused by texting and driving.
Thus, motorists, passengers, cyclists and pedestrians each and every day are put at risk because drivers decide to text or use their phone while driving. Some states have taken steps to address the rates of accidents caused by texting. By making it a primary offense, law enforcement seeks to crack down on these numbers. Unfortunately, some drivers do not see the real dangers in texting and driving, simply because they have done it for years and nothing bad has happened to them yet.
The reality is that it only takes a mere second for an accident to occur, and when one does, victims can suffer tremendous injuries. Thus, following an accident, victims should take the time to understand the cause of the accident and who was at fault. This could help them in a legal action, such as a personal injury lawsuit, and their pursuit of compensation for their losses and damages.
Source: bigthink.com, “Why Is Texting and Driving Not Considered an Epidemic?” Derek Beres, Feb. 9, 2017