A Virginia Tech study found that drivers are distracted about 10 percent of the time with eating, reaching for the phone, texting, or otherwise taking their eyes off the road. The study, which appears in the Jan. 2 New England Journal of Medicine, used video technology and in-vehicle sensors to gather data.
Newly licensed teens were more likely to drive distracted and substantially more likely than adults to be involved in a crash or near miss while doing so. These teens were more likely than other drivers to text while driving.
When newly licensed teens were texting while driving, they were almost four times more likely to crash. Drivers from 15 to 20 years old are 6 percent of the driving population, but are involved in 11 percent of accident fatalities and 14 percent of reported crashes that result in bodily injury.
“In an effort to prevent accidents caused by distracted driving, we are encouraging families to sign a “No Texting Pledge” urges Eric Hageman, a national accident attorney who has represents clients in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits. You can contact Eric for a free consultation here. “This is one way parents can encourage their teens to pull over before texting or otherwise using their phones.”
This study supports the legal movement to ban texting and cell phone use while driving. As new technologies threaten to make our roads less safe, we need to address these technologies in the law.
Attorney Eric Hageman is one of our lead lawyers for our cases involving serious accidents causing personal injury or wrongful death. He has won millions for clients against drivers, truck and bus companies, bars and restaurants (dram shop claims), manufacturers (product liability) and others.
For more information, please see the following:
- Distracted Driving on the Rise, Lawyers Report
- Car Accident Settlements
- Car Accident Lawyer MN
- Semi Truck Accident Lawyer
- Bus Accident Lawyer
