If someone claims he or she has never been distracted behind the wheel, he or she is probably not telling the whole truth. Distractions happen every day. Whether it's a siren outside the car that startles a driver or a teen changing a radio station, distractions are all around you.
Distractions are dangerous, which is why people need to limit distractions behind the wheel as much as possible. One way to do this is by avoiding texting and driving at all times.
Statistics show that 1,161 people are injured every day in the United States because of distraction-related crashes. Eight people die in those crashes. Imagine if only a portion of those collisions were caused by texting; putting down phones could save lives and prevent serious injuries from ever taking place.
How can people prevent themselves and others from becoming distracted?
It's simple. Put away your phone, turn off the ringer or ask people not to contact you while you're driving. If you know someone you love is driving or on the road, don't continue to text or talk to them on the phone. A conversation in any form is distracting, and your loved one needs to be paying attention.
Speak out against texting and driving as well as using a phone to call out while driving. While hands-free devices are still legal in the majority of states, even they are a distraction to drivers. The only way to be distraction free is to put down your devices and watch the road.
When drivers pay attention, fewer crashes happen. When they don't, people get hurt. If you're one of those people, remember that you can file a claim against the negligent driver who struck you.
Source: Federal Communications Commission, "The Dangers of Distracted Driving," accessed Dec. 06, 2017
