Focusing on the Dangers of Distracted Driving

October 23, 2009

Issues related to distracted driving are receiving a great deal of attention as lawmakers begin to understand the prevalence of this problem and the full extent of the consequences.

October 23, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Focusing on the Dangers of Distracted Driving

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In September, the federal government's Transportation Department held a summit on distracted driving. The gathering addressed the rising numbers of accidents, injuries and deaths caused by drivers who are distracted by texting, cellphone use and other activities.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says drivers under the age of 24 are the worst offenders, with approximately half admitting they have sent text messages on their cellphones while driving.

Last year, distracted drivers caused car accidents inflicting a half-million injuries and taking nearly 6,000 lives. Distracted drivers accounted for 16 percent of all road fatalities in 2008, up from 12 percent of all road deaths a year earlier.

Eighteen states ban texting while driving, but Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is pushing for a nationwide ban on the practice. At the distracted driving summit, LaHood conceded that even if such a prohibition is enacted, the problem won't be eliminated. Personal responsibility is the key to changing behavior, he said.

A study earlier this year from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute showed that truck drivers who text are 23 times more likely than those who don't text to crash or have a near-crash.

Research shows that texting while driving is more dangerous being drunk or high on drugs. Specifically, research of drivers under 24 years of age shows that reaction times slowed by 35 percent when they were reading or writing text messages while driving. When driving with the legal limit of alcohol, their reaction times dropped by 12 percent; cannabis intoxication caused a 21 percent decrease in reaction times.

That same study by the Transport Research Laboratory shows that steering control deteriorated 91 percent among texting drivers.  

Legislation is currently pending before Congress that would strip states that fail to ban texting while driving of their federal highway monies.

Although the laws surrounding texting and driving continue to evolve, some aspects of the law remain unchanged. Notably, those who cause car accidents by driving while distracted can be held accountable for their actions. Following any kind of motor vehicle accident, it is important for an injured person to speak to a knowledgeable attorney to fully understand his or her rights and interests.  

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