It has become a well-known fact that distracted driving is one of the leading causes of automobile wrecks in the United States and around the world. Arguably the most common and most dangerous form of distracted driving is that of using a cell phone while behind the wheel. Whether a driver is texting, taking a phone call, emailing, or using an app, the dangers associated with taking your attention off the road for even a second are great. Studies show that the minimal amount of time that a driver’s attention is away from the road while texting and driving is five seconds. This may not seem like much, but if a vehicle is traveling at 55 MPH, five seconds equals driving the length of a football field with your eyes not on the roadway. That is a lot of time and space in which an accident is likely to occur. Unfortunately, young adults and teens may be the largest group of drivers that pose a texting and driving threat. Recent polls state that an astounding 77% of young adults are confident that they can safety text while behind the wheel. 55 percent claim that the act of texting while driving is “easy”. Unfortunately, it’s not just teens and young adults that admit to texting while driving. While the numbers may not be as high for mature adults, it is still an overwhelming problem. Perhaps it even contributes to the large number of teens that text behind the wheel because they’ve previously witnessed their parents doing the same. These numbers are disturbing because an automobile is one of the most dangerous weapons that can be used on another human being. The sheer mass and size can cause devastating injuries in a crash.
In an effort to make roads around the world safer, many companies and organizations have begun sponsoring campaigns to discourage cell phone usage while operating a vehicle. AT&T, Facebook, and Twitter are just a few. We recently saw an advertisement created by Volkswagen to deter citizens from texting while driving. In the video, the setting is a movie theater in Hong Kong. A location-based broadcasting device is used on unsuspecting movie-goers to send out a mass text message timed strategically to make it seem as though a crash (in a movie preview) was caused by distracted driving. It is a very clever advertisement with the goal of educating citizens of the dangers of cell phone usage while driving. If you haven’t yet watched the video, you can view it on YouTube.
Cell phone usage has become one of the leading causes of automobile crashes throughout the world. There’s no phone call or text message that can’t wait until you have stopped your vehicle. If you still have trouble not using your phone while driving, there are a variety of things that you can try to keep yourself from texting and driving. If those don’t work, there are also apps that can be downloaded onto your phone that make it impossible to text and drive. By partaking in distracted driving, you are not only putting others on Georgia roadways in danger, but you are endangering yourself as well. Not only could you sustain injuries in a crash, but you could be held legally responsible for a crash in which others are hurt or killed. One mistake could lead to a life-changing event. For more information on texting and driving laws and tips, contact our office today at (770) 427-5498.
Categories: Auto Accidents, Car Accident, Catastrophic Injuries, Distracted Driving, Drowsy Driving, Georgia Laws, Personal Injury, Seatbelt Safety, Texting Accidents, Wrongful Death
