What is Distracted Driving?
Distracted Driving is when a person operates a motor vehicle while engaging in activities that divert attention from driving tasks, such as:
- Talking on a cell phone
- Using a navigation system
- Texting or emailing
- Eating
- Adjusting hair or makeup
- Using the audio system
- Texting
What is Distracted Driving?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “Distracted driving is any activity that…takes your attention away from the task of safe driving.” Studies have shown that texting while driving significantly increases the likelihood of a crash or near-crash event. The detrimental effects of distracted driving can range from minor fender-benders to severe accidents resulting in life-altering injuries or fatalities.
Understanding the risks associated with distracted driving and adopting safe driving practices can help mitigate its adverse impacts on road safety and overall public safety.
More information about Distracted Driving
Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer says pedestrian deaths and injuries are on the rise
With the weather beginning to warm, traveling by foot might be might seem like a healthier option, but it’s not always safer. The World Health Organization reported that more than 270,000 pedestrians lose their lives on the world’s roads each year. Globally, pedestrians constitute 22% of all road deaths, and in some countries this proportion is as high as two thirds.
According to a recent study by the University of Nebraska Medical Center, distracted driving is increasingly causing fatalities among pedestrians. The study looked at accident records between 2005 and 2010; focusing on bicycle and pedestrian accidents where the driver was using a cellphone, GPS system, radio, or another distracting device before the accident. It was found that the number of fatal pedestrian accidents per 10 billion vehicle miles traveled increased from 18.7 to 24.6 during this time period. […]
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Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyer Says Distracted Driving Kills
In a statement released on January 28, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that the rise in mobile device usage while driving has caused an increase in auto accidents. The National Safety Council reports that in the U.S. texting while driving causes 1.6 million accidents annually. Researchers fear that this trend will continue. Drivers who read or write text messages while operating vehicles are 23 times more likely to be in a crash than non-distracted drivers, according to researchers at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.
As a result, states have passed distracted driving laws. 41 states plus D.C. have banned text messaging behind the wheel. The report also revealed that 12 states plus D.C. have implemented laws prohibiting all drivers from using handheld devices while operating a vehicle. Additionally, all 50 states have implemented police reports that include sections for distracted driving information in the event of an auto accident. […]
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Teens and Distracted Driving Could Require a Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer
As an experienced injury lawyer at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Marion Munley has seen many teens start out as careful, cautious drivers, but it only takes a few months behind the wheel before teens feel over-confident in their driving skills and get involved in a car accident. Dialing cell phones, texting, eating, and talking to passengers are all examples of things that teens may do while driving. Multitasking distracts teens and all drivers from the road, a skill that still requires their full attention.
This topic was recently published in the Jan. 2 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine from a study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and the National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development. The data reveals that, compared to experienced drivers, new drivers engaged in secondary tasks less frequently during the first six months. Between months 7 and 15, […]
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One in Four Moms Text While Driving With Babies
New mothers are talking and texting on cell phones – and even checking e-mail – while driving with their baby on board, according to a new survey.
Seventy-eight percent of mothers with children under two years old admitted talking on the phone while driving with their babies. And more than a quarter of them said they text and check e-mail.
The survey was conducted by the child-protection advocacy group Safe Kids Worldwide and American Baby magazine.
One scary conclusion: The driving habits of new moms are every bit as dangerous as that of teenage drivers.
Texting while driving creates a crash risk 23 times higher than driving while not distracted, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Following is from USA Today:
The survey of 2,396 mothers finds an attitude among new moms that is reflected in the general population: They tend to think they’re safe drivers but actually engage in risky habits. […]
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Text & Wreck Targets Young PA Drivers
Young drivers in Pennsylvania will soon be noticing a “Text and Wreck” button popping up on social media sites.
The logo is the winning entry in a national Distracted Driving Design Challenge sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Its creator was 14-year-old high school student Hah’mari Watson, who said the artwork was inspired after she and her family were in a car crash caused by a texting driver.
View or download her winning “Text & Wreck” icon here.
The Distracted Driving Design Challenge was held to create awareness among young motorists about the dangers of texting and cell phone use behind the wheel. The “Text & Wreck” image will be used on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites.
“The Department of Transportation is committed to helping young drivers get the message that texting and driving don’t mix,” said U.S. […]
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