Distracted driving kills. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), cell phone use was involved in 350 fatal crashes nationwide in 2011, and contributed to thousands of crashes in which individuals were injured, some of them seriously. Texas reported the second-highest number of cell-phone-related deaths in 2011, with 38 deaths in the state.
And cell phones are only part of the problem, as many experienced Texas distracted driving accident attorneys know. When other sources of distraction, such as reading a map, listening to loud music, or having your attention diverted by other passengers are accounted for, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that over nine people die and 1,153 people are injured every single day in a distracted driving accident. In 2011, one in every five crashes involved a distracted driver, according to the CDC.
Distraction comes in multiple forms. Your eyes may be distracted away from the road, your hands may be doing something other than controlling the wheel, or your brain may be occupied with other thoughts or tasks and unable to keep track of everything going on around the vehicle.
To reduce your risk of suffering a distracted driving accident, keep these tips in mind:
- Reduce all three kinds of distraction. Putting away your cell phone is one easy way to do this.
- Help younger drivers practice focused driving. Teens are more likely to become distracted and less able to correct if a problem occurs. Teach teens to focus on the road, and lead by example.
- Avoid texting while driving. Texting distracts the brain, hands, and eyes all at once, making it particularly dangerous.
If your life has been affected by a distracted driver, you do not have to suffer the consequences alone. Let the attorneys at Crowe Arnold & Majors, LLP help you recover the financial compensation you deserve for medical bills, lost wages, pain, and other damages.
