Texting while driving is the main cause of accident and death for most of the teenagers driving in America today. According to a recent study, distracted driving deaths are an even larger risk for teenagers than driving under the influence. It just goes to show how much times have changed– and how truly dangerous and even deadly distracted driving can be. It may seem innocuous, but texting or talking on the phone or even looking for something or talking while you’re driving and not paying attention to the road can be enough to cause an accident that can cause injury or even death.
Over three thousand teenagers unfortunately lose their lives every year due to accidents caused by texting while driving, more than accidents attributed to drunk driving. Not only that– over half of teenagers admit to receiving and sending text messages while behind the wheel. A Virginia Tech study showed that drivers are 23 times more likely to be in accidents if they text and drive. While most teenagers– in fact the majority– understand that checking their phone for texts or emails while they are driving is dangerous, but nearly 45% continue to do so, according to a Bridgestone Americas, Inc. survey.
Out of those, ninety five percent owned up to doing so while alone, while nearly a third– 32%– said that they did it in the company of friends and parents. While brochures and PSAs advising teens to be careful while driving, it’s clear that greater measures need to be taken. Parents who do not educate or enforce choosing not to drive distracted should know that they are setting their children up to be in a situation where they could be injured or die or cause the same for another car that has done nothing wrong. Countless fatal accidents have been caused by distracted drivers drifting across lanes and driving into oncoming traffic.
From those teens that admitted to distracted driving, 90% admitted to posting on social media, 29% in the presence of others, and a staggering 3 out of 4 teens surveyed said that they watch videos while driving alone in the car. These statistics are far from reassuring. It seems that in an entire age group, the numbers are pointing to consistent distracted driving for a high percentage of the population.
An experienced car accident attorney can help you evaluate your situation if you have been in an accident as a result of distracted driving or have been negatively affected by a distracted driver. Legislation may vary according from state to state and will be able to advise you on the right course of action for you. A competent and experience car accident attorney will be able to try and get the best result for you. The Law Offices of Payas, Payas, and Payas have attorneys with the experience and skill and will go to work to try and get the best result for you possible. If you or someone that you love has been involved in or the cause of a car accident, consult them today.
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