We’ve all heard the horror stories about distracted drivers. Lives are ended all because of text messages, Facebook notifications, and more needless side-attractions. We need to kick this habit to the curb, and by gazing upon the alarming statistics, we might just do that. We’ve picked a few harrowing facts from the distraction.gov website for this task. Let’s take a look at them.
In 2014, 3,179 people were killed, and 431,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers.
Just think about this fact for a minute. Over three thousand people were killed in 2014 as a result of needless distractions. This could include texting, grooming, eating and checking GPS systems. These needless tasks that could be carried out in any other setting have caused thousands of lives to end. If a major disaster were to happen tomorrow as the result of someone texting instead of doing their job, there would be outrage. However, over 3000 lives ended in one year alone for this exact reason. It’s terrifying, and it needs to stop.
Ten percent of all drivers 15 to 19 years old involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crashes.
This statistic goes on to say that this age group actually has the largest proportion of distracted drivers in crashes. It shouldn’t come as any surprise that the inexperienced are getting regularly distracted. However, it’s clear that they aren’t taking the rules of the road seriously. When you pass your test, you claim to be a fully competent driver. The truth is that it’ll take a lot of time to get your skills up to speed with the best of them. Youngsters need to realize the dangers of distracted driving.
The percentage of drivers text-messaging or visibly manipulating handheld devices increased from 1.7 percent in 2013 to 2.2 percent in 2014.
How scary is this?! Despite all the warnings, the percentage actually increased with this statistic. It’s particularly scary that this fact relates to text messaging and handheld devices. As also mentioned on the website is that text messaging requires “visual, manual and cognitive attention.” This makes it particularly risk-filled for both the driver and other traffic. If you see this behavior, you must inform the police. If these actions result in a crash, you need to seek an injury lawyer. Get your rightful compensation and make the offender pay for their careless actions.
A 2015 Erie Insurance distracted driving survey reported that drivers do all sorts of dangerous things behind the wheel including brushing teeth and changing clothes. The survey also found that one-third of drivers admitted to texting while driving…
You’ll know if you’ve engaged in distracted behavior in the past. It could be something as simple as drinking coffee, or changing a CD in the CD player. It all constitutes as distracted driving, and it could all contribute towards a potential crash. It’s important to recognize when you’re engaging in this behavior and put a stop to it. Also, let’s get back to that topic of texting again. It’s incredibly alarming that one-third of drivers text while on the road. It might even be scarier that one-third admitted to it. How many others are there that aren’t admitting to this behavior?
Five seconds is the average time your eyes are off the road while texting. When traveling at 55mph, that’s enough time to cover the length of a football field blindfolded.
It’s nothing, right? You look down at your phone, tap a few buttons, and you’re done. All that time, you look up now and again to make sure you’re on the right path. But, do you really understand how much control you’re in? Sure, you might get lucky a few times, but luck runs out. Five seconds is enough to cause a life-ending crash. At high speeds, this is especially the case. It’s all too easy to think that you’ve got control of the situation, but you haven’t. It’s better for you to realize this before it’s too late.
More than half (53%) of all adult cellphone owners have been on the giving or receiving end of a distracted walking encounter.
Despite the alarming statistics, we don’t use cell phones as much as we do when we’re out the car. These days, it’s very difficult to find yourself in a public setting without a barrage of smartphones in your viewing path. So, over half of adult cell phone owners have been in a distracted encounter because of their phones. They’re walking at a minuscule pace in often less-than-crowded areas. If that’s the statistic for walking distractions, think of what it would be like if we all did it when driving?
At any given daylight moment across America, approximately 660,000 drivers are using cell phones or manipulating electronic devices while driving…
Let’s end with this one. We’re not taking all the other distractions into account like drinking, reading and talking with this statistic. 660,000 drivers are using electronic devices while they’re driving at any given moment. At any given moment! That’s every single day! That statistic is mind-blowing, and it’s a guarantee that lives will end as a result of their use. We have to find a way to reduce this behavior before more lives are needlessly lost. It’s up to us as drivers to understand the dangers and make a habit out of doing the right thing. We need to reduce this statistic.
It’s clear that distracted driving has become a major issue across the globe. Technology has changed the way we go about our everyday lives, and that includes in the confines of a car. Now, we need to take the power back and understand the damage that we’re doing. All you need to is Google distracted driving deaths in order to see the extent of the carnage. You’re taking your life and the lives of others into your own hands every time you engage in this behavior. Let’s work together to eliminate distracted driving once and for all.
