It seems as though every day, there is a new item in the newspaper describing the sad fate of a distracted driver or the unfortunate motorist with whom he or she shared the road. Indeed, in today’s day and age, where smart phones are never far from our hands, distracted driving seems like an even greater danger than ever before.
That is why April is Distracted Driving Month. This April, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety released a report that outlined some of the distracting behavior that puts drivers — and innocent motorists — at risk. Teenagers factored heavily into the reporting.
According to the report, drugs and alcohol are no longer the top factors in crashes among young drivers. Distracted driving now takes the top spot.
Talking to passengers and attending to passengers’ needs plays the largest role in distracted driving. Cell phone use is also a common factor, and is frequently cited in cases in which the driver leaves the road.
In many crashes, distracted driving is exacerbated by other factors. Speed was a factor in 79 percent of distracted driving crashes, and in 36 percent of collisions the driver was following another car too closely.
According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, new laws are needed to guard against distracted driving in teenagers. The Foundation believes that cell phone use should be restricted among teenagers, and that young drivers should not be able to drive with multiple non-family passengers in the first months of driving.
Distracted driving is a serious danger, not only to the negligent driver, but also to other motorists and pedestrians. If you or a loved one has been injured by a distracted driver, our law firm can help. To schedule a one-on-one consultation, call our Missoula office at 406-812-7634 or visit our website.