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Some facts on the dangers of distracted driving

On Behalf of | Oct 2, 2015 | Car Accidents

Still not convinced that distracted driving is not a big problem in Florida, or that looking at your phone while driving raises the risk of a serious car accident? Here are some facts, as provided by Distraction.gov.

Distracted driving killed 3,154 people and injured about 424,000 more in 2013. Though fewer people died in distracted driving crashes that year than in 2012, the number of injuries actually went up year-over-year.

Young drivers are especially vulnerable to distraction. About 27 percent of distracted drivers in fatal wrecks are in their 20s, and 10 percent of such drivers are under age 20.

No matter how old you are, splitting your focus between driving and a phone or other object puts everyone around you at risk. It is estimated that the subtasks associated with using a cellphone, like texting or dialing a number, raise the risk of a crash three times. At highway speeds, taking your eyes off the road for just five seconds, the average time it takes to text, leads to you driving blind for the length of a football field.

We are sure that none of our readers is in the habit of driving while distracted. However, it is a common sight on the road to see people with their phone glued to their ear, or gazing down at a bluish glow. This is negligence, because it unreasonably puts others on the road in danger of serious injury.

When a crash occurs, a distracted driver may be liable for his or her victim’s injuries.

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