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Just How Dangerous Is Distracted Driving? Some Scary Statistics

BIKLaw Medical Malpractice Lawyer > Car Accident > Just How Dangerous Is Distracted Driving? Some Scary Statistics

It seems like such a minor thing: your cellphone rings while you’re driving, and you take the call, promising yourself the conversation will be brief. Or you hear the distinctive chime of a text message coming in, and take your eyes off the road for the few seconds necessary to read it. With the increasing media focus on distracted driving, you may have found yourself wondering, just how dangerous is distracted driving?

As it turns out, distracted driving can be very, very dangerous. Those few, seemingly short seconds may turn out to be the cause of a severe accident. A few seconds may not seem like a long enough time to be the cause of anything serious, but according to Distraction.gov, the official U.S. government website for distracted driving, taking your eyes off the road for five seconds when you’re driving at a speed of 55 mph is enough time to cover the length of  football field while blindfolded.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these are other distracted driving statistics you may not be aware of:

  • Every day, more than nine people are killed and 1,060 people injured as a result of accidents involving a distracted driver.
  • In 2011 and 2012, 3,360 and 3,328 people were killed, respectively, in crashes involving a distracted driver.
  • In 2011 alone, distraction-related accidents were the cause of injury to 421,000 people.
  • Again in 2011, distraction was reported to be a factor in one out of five, or 17%, of all motor vehicle accidents resulting in an injury.

As we come to rely more and more on our mobile devices, drivers need to be more aware of the dangers of distracted driving. The statistics are clear: it may take only a few seconds to use a cellphone or other mobile device while driving, but those seconds have the potential to result in particularly devastating consequences.

If you or someone you love has been injured as a result of an accident involving a distracted driver, Bradley I. Kramer and his experienced legal team are here to help you obtain the compensation to which you are entitled. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.

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