According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, motor vehicle accidents caused by distracted drivers are just as common as those caused by speeding and drunk driving.
When many people think about distracted driving, the only thing that comes to mind is using a cellphone. However, there are other types of distractions that are just as dangerous, such as talking to passengers and eating.
The U.S. Department of Transportation, along with data collected from the National Automotive Sampling System and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, shared statistics such as:
– Ten percent of police-reported fatal accidents in 2013 were caused by a distracted driver.
– In 2013, more than 3,000 people were killed in a crash involving a distracted driver.
– In 2013, approximately 424,000 people were injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver.
– In 2013, almost 500 pedestrians and bicyclists were killed by a distracted driver.
– Teenagers are most prone to driving while distracted.
The statistics don’t lie. The U.S. Department of Transportation is well aware that distracted driving is a problem, and for this reason, they are doing their best to spread the word. Even so, some drivers don’t fully understand that this can cause an accident that leads to serious injury and even death.
If you are a driver, do whatever you can to stay focused on the road. At the same time, pay attention to those around you. This will help pinpoint somebody who may not be paying attention. Subsequently, you can lessen the likelihood of being involved in an accident.
Source: DailyMiner, “Distracted driving: As dangerous as driving drunk,” accessed Sep. 30, 2015