According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “Distracted driving is dangerous, claiming 3,477 lives in 2015 alone.” The agency continues, “Distracted driving is any activity that diverts attention from driving, including talking or texting on your phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, fiddling with the stereo, entertainment or navigation system – anything that takes your attention away from the task of safe driving.”
While there are many forms of distracted driving, texting while driving is by far the most dangerous because it takes your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel, and your mind of the critical task of driving. So, where does the State of Georgia stand on texting while driving? On July 1, 2010, Georgia law prohibited ALL TEXTING WHILE DRIVING. To read the law for yourself, click HERE.
Driver Inattention: Key Cause in Most Car Accidents
From switching to Bluetooth to listen to music, to eating fast food, to using an iPod, to driver fatigue, to cell phones and everything in between, Georgia drivers have enough distractions behind the wheel. According to the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety in Georgia, “now new national data is showing driver inattention is a key cause in most crashes and near crashes.”
“According to a 2006 study of real-world driver behavior, distraction, and crash factors about 80-percent of crashes were caused by some form of distraction – such as cell phone use or being tired – occurring within seconds of the incident,” says GOHS. Given that information, it’s no wonder why Georgia enacted a law strictly prohibiting texting while driving for all ages.
As of this writing, all drivers are strictly prohibited from reading, writing or sending text messages while behind the wheel. The fine for texting while driving is $150.
Related: Who’s At-Fault in a Side-Impact Crash?
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Categories: Auto Accidents, Car Accident, Distracted Driving, Georgia Laws, Personal Injury, Texting Accidents
