You Are Not Superhuman: Distracted Driving Is Dangerous.
As you know, April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, so our office would like to continue to spread knowledge in efforts to help save lives on the roadways.
As Distraction.gov says, “One text or call could wreck it all,” and our office completely agrees. Distracted driving is not only texting while driving; it is also having phone conversations while behind the wheel. People may think that as long as their phone is hands-free, they are completely on top of their game. Sadly, this is not true and it has caused numerous accidents in the past.
Distracted driving includes a driver taking part in any sort of activity that takes attention away from the roadway. As described by Distraction.gov, they include the following:
- Texting
- Using a cell phone or smartphone
- Eating or drinking
- Talking to passengers
- Grooming
- Reading, including maps
- Using a navigation system
- Watching a video
- Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player
Of the above distractions, texting while driving is the worst because it requires three forms of attention, including visual, manual and cognitive.
Our office understands that all of the above distractions are unlikely to be eliminated, but we would like to start with the prevention of cell phone use while behind the vehicle. Ohio does have a law that bans texting while driving, but some are still disobeying. Also, many drivers do not feel that having a phone conversation is distracting, and we would like to continue to spread awareness about the distractions that holding a conversation creates.
Driving while talking on the phone prevents the driver from noticing up to 50% of their driving environment. This is a very scary statistic, given by the National Safety Council, and we believe it is important to inform drivers of it.
If you have any questions regarding distracted driving or have been involved in an accident caused by a distracted driver, call our car accident attorneys at 800.637.8170.
LH