Even a slight momentary distraction could cause a car accident. Sadly, even a vehicle traveling at a low speed might cause a fatality. Drivers would benefit themselves and others by avoiding distractions, something that’s not always easy in a modern world reliant on vehicle technology. A better understanding of distracted driving may lead some drivers to cut back on bad habits behind the wheel.
The Centers for Disease Control takes distracted driving seriously and studies incidents each year. The CDC points out that nine fatalities per day occur due to distracted driving. The amount of injuries runs into the thousands.
Distracted driving isn’t always about drifting thoughts, either. Not watching the road or taking hands off the steering wheel can both lead to accidents. Likely, the most common cause for such accidents centers on the use of cellphones. When texting, messaging or even speaking on the phone, a person can lose concentration while also diverting attention from the road and taking hands off the wheel.
Cell phones may receive a significant amount of blame, but fiddling with the GPS or radio may cause distractions. Equally ill-advisable is eating and drinking while driving.
While all age groups can present risks, the CDC suggests that drivers under the age of 20 have the highest distracted driving-related fatality rates. Statistics also reveal that teens prone to distracted driving may be less inclined to wear a seat belt. Some may not even feel concerned about getting into a vehicle with a driver who was drinking. Perhaps teens would benefit from enrolling in a course designed to reduce distracted driving. The same applies to adults, too.
Distracted driving causes thousands of car accidents each year that can result in injuries and fatalities. Victims may want to have personal injury attorneys assist them in pursuing compensation for their losses.
