Distracted Driving – It’s Not Just a Trucker Problem
THE PROBLEM
In 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration* distracted driving accounted for 3,522 deaths and an estimated additional 362,415 injuries in the United States. Tractor-Trailers were involved in 9 percent of the crashes causing fatalities but were only 5 percent of the vehicles on the road. So, while distracted driving is certainly a problem for the trucking industry, it is also a problem for the average driver.
DISTRACTED DRIVING DEFINED
Distracted driving is defined as any activity or event that takes a driver’s attention away from the task at hand – driving an automobile or truck. Some examples of distracted driving are texting or talking on a cell phone, using a navigation system, eating while driving or looking at an object or sign on the side of the road. There are three main types of distraction: 1) Visual – taking your eyes off the road; 2) Manual – taking your hands off the wheel; or 3) Cognitive – taking your mind off driving.
THE COST OF DISTRACTED DRIVING
In 2019 (the most recent year for which cost data is available), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that the economic cost of distracted driving in the U.S. was $98 billion. When quality of life factors are considered such as pain and suffering and disability, the total value of the societal harm from distracted driving skyrockets to $395 billion.
WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?
TIP NO. 1: FOCUS ON THE ROAD IN FRONT OF YOU
When driving, focus on the road in front of you and what the traffic is doing. Do not allow yourself to be distracted by something on the side of the road such as a billboard, building, or people. Anything taking your attention off the road in front of you can be dangerous. A 2006 study found that driver inattention was the leading cause of crashes and that 80 percent of crashes involve some sort of driver inattention.
TIP NO. 2: DON’T TEXT AND DRIVE
Other than being drunk or fatigued, texting while driving is probably the most dangerous thing you can do. Texting takes your eyes off the road, one of your hands off the wheel and takes your mind off driving. One study found that texting while driving increases your chances of having a wreck (or close to it) by 23 times. This same study found that drivers who were texting spent about 5 seconds looking at their phone instead of at the road. If a person is driving at 55 mph and they take their eyes off the road for five seconds, it is the equivalent of driving the length of a football with their eyes closed. Federal regulations make it illegal for truck drivers to even use a cell phone while driving (other than answering or placing a call with one touch) and 48 states have made it illegal for any driver to text and drive. So stay safe and stay legal – don’t text and drive!
TIP NO. 3: DON’T EAT OR DRINK AND DRIVE
Many of us live hectic lives where we are often tempted to buy food and eat it on the road. We may not realize that this can be very dangerous. Think about it – the mere act of eating food requires one hand to be off the wheel. Also, at some point most people will look down to reach for that last French fry or cookie and take their eyes off the road. If anything spills, that almost certainly will take someone’s eyes off the road. A recent study found that eating while driving was more of a hazard than talking (not texting) on a cell phone. So better to take a little time to eat in the restaurant or parking lot – it’s probably better for your digestion too!
TIP NO. 4: DON’T INPUT DATA INTO GPS DEVICES WHILE DRIVING
Most people now use cell phone GPS “apps” on almost a daily basis. These “apps” are certainly safer than looking at a map while driving but they still can be dangerous if people input location data into their cell phone while driving. As with the other tips, the hazard here is taking your eyes off the road. Punching in address data while driving is the equivalent of texting while driving. You have one hand off the wheel, you are looking down at your cell phone and you are thinking about the correct address. Take the time to input the address information before you start your trip and if your destination changes while you are driving, pull over and input the new data – it just may save your life or someone else’s.
MILLER LAW GROUP HAS THE EXPERTISE YOU NEED
If you or a loved one has been hurt by a distracted driver – whether it’s the driver of a car or truck, contact the legal team at Miller Law Group. We are experts in investigating motor vehicle collisions. We routinely obtain cell phone records from defendants that show they were “on their phones” at the time of the crash. If we are able to prove that a defendant driver was distracted at the time of the crash, an insurance company will usually pay more in settlement or a jury will compensate the injured person more if the case goes to trial. Please visit our website at millerlawgroupnc.com.
*All statistics and references to studies appeared in articles published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
