We should all be on the lookout for one of the most dangerous things on America’s roadways: distracted drivers. With smartphones in almost every hand in America, it is easy to see how distracted driving has become a significant point of societal debate. But, every day there are hundreds of thousands of drivers who engage in this risky behavior. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that, on any given day, approximately 660,000 drivers are using an electronic device of some type while driving.
The statistics behind distracted driving are staggering. For instance, the NHTSA reports that, in 2015, an estimated 391,000 people were injured when they were involved in car accidents that could be attributed to distracted driving. Almost 3,500 people died in 2015 in distracted driving accidents as well.
Texting and driving is probably the most common form of distracted driving. As the NHTSA points out, when drivers take their eyes off the road to look at their cellphones to either read a text or send a text, that activity usually takes about five seconds. That may not seem like a lot, but when a car is traveling at a speed of 55 miles per hour, for example, the NHTSA says that is like taking your eyes off the road for the length of a football field.
The consequences of distracted driving can be devastating. Families can be ripped apart all because a driver couldn’t wait to send a text message. Individuals and families who have suffered injuries due to a distracted driver’s negligence may be able to recover financial compensation.
