Drunk driving has long been recognized as the most dangerous form of impairment, and rightfully so. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) every day, 29 people across the nation die in a motor vehicle accident involving a drunk driver. This amounts to one death every 50 minutes.
However, if you’ve been keeping up with recent news, it should come as no surprise that distracted driving is on the rise. The CDC has discovered that each day in the United States, there are approximately 9 people killed with more than 1,000 accidents due to distracted driving. There has been, for many years now, a steady increase in the annual accidents, deaths, and property damage caused by distracted driving.
What’s the Problem?
For years, lawmakers have been trying to crack the code to figure out why distracted driving is becoming such a pandemic as of lately. The National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) released a statement recently that explains the situation very well,
“You cannot drive safely unless the task of driving has your full attention. Any non-driving activity you engage in is a potential distraction and increases your risk of crashing.”
While this may seem like elementary information to some, this information is often overlooked and people don’t realize just how dangerous driving distracted is. In 2017 alone, there were 3,166 distracted driver-related fatalities.
What Can Be Done?
With auto accidents being the number one cause of death of teens each year, many of these distracted driving accidents are being linked back to them. While many teens are responsible for distracted driving, there is a near equal amount of adults who commit this crime each day.
So, what does that mean? Well, they always say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, and in this case, it is extremely important how parents act while behind the wheel with their children. The image you portray while driving is something that your teen will pick up on and put into practice once they are able to drive, as they may begin to think about things like, “My mom texts while driving all the time and hasn’t been in an accident, so I can do it as well.”
Hold Negligent Parties Responsible
Distracted driving is a completely preventable action, and choosing to distract yourself while behind the wheel comes with consequences. When an accident is caused by negligence, it’s important to hold that party accountable for their actions. Don’t let the negligence of another party change the way you live the rest of your life.
Call Harmon Parker today (813) 452-4144 to learn how we can help you regain your life following an accident caused by no fault of your own.