Car accident risk rises with distractions

Since the advent of the cell phone, safety advocates in Pennsylvania have urged drivers to put down their devices. While it seems as if many drivers are hearing and understanding the message, not all are putting it into practice. Despite the fact that distracted driving raises the probability of being involved in a car accident, drivers continue to use their devices behind the wheel.

A recent survey by AAA reveals that more people are concerned about distracted driving than about any other risky driving behaviors. Even drunk driving garnered concern from half as many people surveyed as distracted driving. Nevertheless, while 88 percent of those surveyed agreed that the use of a cell phone while driving was most concerning, almost half of those questioned admitted to recently making calls with a handheld device. More than a third said they had sent a text.

A driver is four times as likely to be involved in an accident while talking on a cell phone and eight times more vulnerable to a crash while texting. Distracted driving, particularly texting, is playing a more frequent role in accidents, especially among teens and young adults. AAA recommends that drivers discipline themselves to ignore electronic distractions while driving, including the ones that may be part of a vehicle’s infotainment system.

Texting and the use of cell phones is only one type of distraction. Drivers who negligently allow other elements to take their attention from the road place others in danger. A seriously injured victim of a Pennsylvania car accident caused by a driver who is distracted has every right to seek the counsel of an experienced personal injury attorney.

Source: recordherald.com, “Distraction tops list of growing dangers for drivers“, March 29, 2018