Jul 10
11
The Dangers of Distracted Driving
The Dangers of Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is one of the primary causes of auto accidents today. It is estimated that between 4,000 and 8,000 car accidents caused by distracted driving occur every day in this country. Distracted driving is a factor in approximately half of the six million auto accidents occurring each year in the United States.
Common Driver Distractions
The following driver distractions pose a serious risk to the safety of others on the road:
Cell phone use Texting Eating Tending to small children Conversing with passengers Gazing at objects outside the vehicle Driver fatigue Adjusting hand-held electronic devices such as iPods or GPS
Cell Phone Use While Driving
There is growing research to indicate that cell phone use while driving is one of the most dangerous distractions facing drivers today. Approximately 80% of drivers have admitted to using their phones while driving. Several studies have shown that talking on cell phones while driving increases your risk of an auto accident by four times.
Texting while driving is even more dangerous than talking on a cell phone, because it forces the driver to take his attention off the road for a prolonged period of time. A recent study tracking the texting patterns of truck drivers indicates that drivers take their eyes off the road for as long as five seconds at a time when texting while driving.
Changes in Government Policy Towards Cell Phone Use While Driving
President Obama has recently signed an executive order prohibiting federal employees from texting while driving government vehicles. This order covers both sending and reading text messages. Federal employees driving government-rented or -leased vehicles or personal vehicles used for government business are also forbidden from texting while driving.
The Obama administration has urged federal employees to set an example for the rest of the country. This law is most likely first in a series of laws that will be enacted to improve the safe driving practices of our nationâs drivers.
Related Texting While Driving Articles
