Ever tried to contort yourself into reaching the passenger side backseat floorboard? Retrieved your baby’s pacifier stuck in the child’s car seat? How about switching the radio station while driving?
All of these actions distract you while driving. Distracted driving does not have to involve a cell phone. In fact, distracted driving has been around as long as people have been driving cars.
Nevertheless, our ever-increasing reliance on electronic devices has caused distracted driving numbers to go through the roof. Here are some examples:
- As of December 2014, 169.3 billion text messages were sent every month;
- At any given moment, 660,000 drivers are on a handheld device;
- Your eyes are off the road an average of 5 seconds per text message;
My friend and fellow trial lawyer Joel Feldman knows all too well the consequences of distracted driving. His 21-year-old daughter was hit in a cross walk by a driver reaching for a drink. There was no cell phone involved. The driver simply wanted a drink.
In Casey’s memory, Joel founded the Casey Feldman Foundation. The foundation is a proud supporter of EndDD or End Distracted Driving. EndDD was created by Casey Feldman’s parents, Joel Feldman and Dianne Anderson, to educate and bring awareness about distracted driving.
It does not take a rocket scientist to know that those statistics above are likely understatements. Many of the statistics about distracted driving rely upon law enforcement reporting and self-reporting.
The message is clear. Distracted driving is an epidemic. Car manufacturers are trying to adjust by putting more technology in vehicles. What does that mean? More distractions!
We need to educate our loved ones on the dangers of distracted driving. We all have an obligation to do so. If your state legislature is not taking distracted driving serious enough, make them pay attention.
The personal injury lawyers of The Parian Law Firm, LLC take serious their role in keeping people safe. We do not see our clients as a number or dollar sign. Our clients hire us to help them make the world a safer place.
Contact The Parian Law Firm, LLC
Our attorneys represent people throughout America. If you or a loved one suffered injuries or death at the hands of a suspected distracted driver, contact us today to discuss.
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