Texting not the only cause of distracted driving car accident

The automobile is such a status symbol that a person’s social and economic standing is often based in part on the year and model of vehicle that one drives. Partially in an effort to appeal to potential owners, many of the latest models are including an array of technological options that are marketed as a way of enhancing one’s driving experience. Unfortunately, these options are often a deadly distraction that can lead to a serious or fatal Pennsylvania car accident.

For the past several years, the media has reported on the dangers of texting and driving. However, it turns out that this is not the most dangerous activity while driving. According to studies that have been conducted by various agencies, including the most recent one by researchers at the University of Utah, the biggest contributor to distracted driving is the on-board navigation systems. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released data that shows that taking one’s eyes off the road for even two-second intervals can double the risks of causing a wreck. It has been shown that attempting to program these navigational tools can take a driver as long as 40 seconds.

Along with using these directional tools while behind the wheel, researchers ranked sending and receiving text messages as the number two cause of collisions, and fiddling with entertainment features was the third. While the federal government has banned the use of phones by train conductors, it has not approved a similar law for motorists. Several states have enacted laws that prohibit the use of handheld phones while driving, but it is up to the individual driver to obey these laws.

New York announced plans to test a new tool that can detect cell use by a driver, but it has not yet come to fruition. Until the laws are revised that place safety above convenience, it is likely that distracted driver wrecks will continue. Pennsylvania families who have suffered serious injuries or lost a loved one due to a car accident caused by another party are entitled to seek compensation for their monetary losses through the successful filing of a personal injury or wrongful death claim.

Source: marketwatch.com, “This high-tech distraction is even more dangerous than texting for drivers“, Quentin Fottrell, Oct. 5, 2017