About every 24 seconds, there is crash somewhere in this nation that occurred from distracted drivers using cell phones and texting, according to the National Safety Council: Cell Phone Crash Estimate Model. Distracted driving is a huge epidemic plaguing our nation. Sadly, many drivers ignore this fact, which is why April 2013 is designated Distracted Driving Awareness Month in Georgia and nationwide—to bring the public’s attention to this safety issue.
Thousands of people are killed every year and hundreds of thousands of people are injured annually due to drivers continuing to use their cell phones while driving. Unfortunately, many people still participate in texting while driving or talking on their cell phones while behind the wheel of moving motor vehicles because they believe the following falsehoods:
- I can multitask well
- An accident won’t happen to me
- I’ve done it so much, I’m a pro
Every Second Matters
All it takes is a couple seconds taking your eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, and mind off of driving for a Georgia car crash to occur. Even if a driver isn’t texting, an accident can happen by reading a text message, dialing a phone number, or even reaching for a cell phone.
Don’t Let Any More People Needlessly Suffer Because of Distracted Driving
To participate in this upcoming National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, the National Safety Council and this Peachtree City car accident lawyer urge you to:
- Not text and drive for the month of April
- Not use a handheld or hands-free phone while driving in April
- Pledge to drive cell free this April
Unfortunately, our brains can get easily distracted by doing another activity while driving, which includes texting while driving and using a cell phone in any capacity. According to Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI), headset cell phone use is not substantially safer than hand-held use. Any use of a cell phone can be a distraction and increases the possibility of a crash. VTTI also has indicated that text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted, and sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds—the equivalent (at 55 miles per hour) of driving the length of a football field blindfolded.
Please think about these facts the next time you get behind the wheel.
If you were injured by a distracted driver, you have rights. Learn how to protect your rights, seek justice, and get the most compensation possible for your injuries by calling a qualified Peachtree accident attorney at Shane Smith Law at (980) 246-2656 today for a free consultation.