The issue of distracted driving in Florida
May 28, 2015On behalf of Terence Gross of Gross & Schuster, P.A. posted in Car Accidents on Monday, March 2, 2015.
Distracted driving can take many forms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it can be visual, manual or mental depending on if someone takes their eyes off the road, their hands off the wheel or if they aren’t thinking about driving. Distracted driving can also be a combination of the three.
Texting and driving is often commonly associated with distracted driving because it involves all three forms of distraction. However, anything from changing the radio station to getting lost in thought can be forms as well. The issue is a fairly serious one, and statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveal that nine people are killed and more than 1,100 are injured daily due to distracted driving. Additionally, a study done in 2011 found that 31 percent of respondents between the ages of 18 and 64 had texted or sent email messages while driving within 30 days of being asked.
In an effort to reduce instances of distracted driving, many states are enacting laws that limit what people can do on a mobile phone while the car is in motion, and many government agencies are forbidding their use while on the job. However, it is unclear what effect laws have had on reducing these types of activities.
When someone is not giving their full attention to the road, the risk of car collisions rise. People injured in car accidents can face a range of expenses, such as vehicle repairs, car rentals and medical bills, as well as lost wages due to the need to recover from their injuries. If the accident was caused by the negligence of another driver, a personal injury lawsuit may result in the recovery of these types of damages.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Distracted Driving”, October 10, 2014
