People are often criticized for never putting down their phones these days. But one of the only times this behavior is ever really a problem is when people text behind the wheel. According to estimates from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Safety Council (NSC), and other safety organizations, at least 25% of all car accidents in recent years involved one or more texting drivers. There is also data to show that hands-free devices are just as dangerous to use when driving. If there is not significant improvement in how the public behaves while driving, the problem will only worsen with time.
Why is Texting & Driving So Dangerous?
There are many things that can cause a driver to become distracted and crash into another vehicle or the surrounding environment. Fiddling with the radio, following GPS commands, taking a sip of coffee, or talking to a passenger are just a few of the numerous activities that could easily lead to a distracted driving accident. So what makes texting behind the wheel so much worse?
The answer lies in the three forms of driver distraction, which are:
- Cognitive: Removing the driver’s mind from the task of driving safely.
- Manual: Removing the driver’s hands from the steering wheel or gear shift.
- Visual: Removing the driver’s eyes from the road ahead and rearview mirrors.
When a person picks up their cellphone to read or compose a text message, they simultaneously engage in all three dangerous forms of distraction. Even the best of drivers simply cannot function safely behind the wheel if they are also texting. Consider also that looking at a text takes about five seconds on average; if a car is traveling at highway speeds, it will cross the length of an entire football field within that same amount of time. That’s plenty of opportunities for a “blinded” driver to crash.
Text Records Support Accident Claims
If you were hit by a driver and you think they were distracted by their cellphone, let our Coral Springs car accident attorney from The Law Offices of Jason S. Goodman, P.A. know. We may be able to secure text and call records from the defendant’s cell service provider. If there are indicators of data usage at or around the time of the collision, it could be a boon for your chances of recovering a maximized settlement or verdict amount.
Schedule a free initial consultation today to learn more about our services.