Distracted driving becoming a national safety issue

Do you consider yourself to be a safe, considerate driver? Do you avoid driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, follow the speed limit and keep your eyes on the road? Most people consider themselves good drivers, but they don’t realize how distracting some basic activities can be behind the wheel – and how simple actions can cause serious and deadly car crashes.

If you haven’t heard the term distracted driving yet, then you may be one of the few. Concern is growing among lawmakers and law enforcement officers about the danger posed on Georgia roads by drivers who just aren’t paying attention to where they are going. In fact, researchers now estimate that distracted driving is a contributing factor in the majority of automobile accidents that happen every day across the country.

What is distracted driving?

Distracted driving is a catch-all term for any action that causes you to take your eyes off of the road, your mind away from the task of driving, or your hands off of the steering wheel. Any time a driver is not focusing his or her attention on the safely driving their vehicle, they could cause a serious crash.

Common driving distractions

There are many ways that drivers can become distracted behind the wheel, but these are the most common:

• Reaching for a moving object: increases crash risk by 9 times
• Looking at an object outside the vehicle: increases crash risk by 3.7 times
• Reading: increases crash risk by 3 times
• Grooming or applying makeup: increases crash risk by 3 times
• Using a hand-held device like a GPS / sending text messages: increases crash risk by 3 times
• Talking or listening to a hand-held cell phone: increases crash risk by 1.3 times
• Drowsiness, a tired driver behind the wheel: increases crash risk by 4 times

What makes distracted driving so dangerous?

Any time a driver’s attention is removed from the task of driving, an accident can happen. It doesn’t take much to cause a crash: swerving a little on the road, braking unexpectedly, not stopping for a light or stop sign, failing to note road construction warnings, and much more. In fact, researchers have found that driving while talking on a cell phone is the same as driving while intoxicated.

Avoid driving while distracted

To make sure you create a safe driving environment in your car or truck, follow these tips:

• Remove unnecessary items and trash from your vehicle
• Properly secure all cargo so you won’t be tempted to reach for moving objects while driving
• Set your temperature controls before you start driving so you won’t fiddle with them later
• Select music or a radio station before you start driving; only change music when you are safely stopped
• Put toll money, toll cards, garage passes, and other necessary items within easy reach so you don’t have to take your eyes off the road and search for them
• Adjust your seat position before you start driving
• Stop the car to eat or drink
• Do not use a cell phone or other handheld device while driving. Pull over safely if you need to make or receive a call.

No matter how safe you are behind the wheel, you can’t help what other drivers are doing in their vehicles. If the worst happens and you are injured in an accident because of a negligent driver, please speak with an experienced attorney. Contact the lawyers at Kaufman Law today to find out how we can level the playing field in your car or truck accident case.

Kaufman Law, P.C.

12 Beck Street, N.W.

Atlanta, GA. 30318

Toll Free: (888) 973-2540

Phone: (404) 355-4000