Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog
It’s “Heads Up Driving Week!” and every day this week the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is campaigning to raise awareness about the risks of distracted driving. This is the third year for the event as it continues to push to find ways to eliminate this dangerous habit for drivers. Residents are asked to make the pledge to put away all diversions for the week to reduce the risks of distracted driving-related car accidents in Boca Raton and elsewhere.
Our Fort Lauderdale car accident attorneys understand that we’ve all got a lot of responsibilities and obligations, but using driving time to complete these tasks is a dangerous decision. This campaign week aims to remind drivers about the number one task at hand in the vehicle — driving!
We see about 8,000 distracted driving-related accidents every day in the United States. These are accidents that are completely preventable with a little bit of responsibility and prioritizing.
Distracted driving accident statistics:
-Car accidents have taken the lives of more than a million people in the U.S. throughout the last 25 years. In 2010 alone, more than 33,500 people died on our roadways. Researchers believe the increase is attributable directly to advancements in technology.
-Passengers are the most frequent report of accident-causing distractions.
-Distractions refer to a plethora of activities, including using a cell phone, text messaging, interacting with other passengers, eating, smoking, applying makeup, reaching for radio controls or playing with web-surfing device.
-Recent statistics reveal that drivers spend about half of their time in a vehicle trying to drive while distracted.
-Drivers are four times more likely to be involved in a serious traffic accident when using a cell phone behind the wheel.
In a recent survey, the AAA Foundation’s 2011 Traffic Safety Culture Index, more than 90 percent of drivers stated that using a cell phone, texting or surfing the web while driving was completely unacceptable. Nearly 90 percent of these individuals said that they support laws banning the activities. Ironically, more than a third of these drivers reported that they had engaged in the dangerous driving behavior at least once within the last 30 days.
This proves a common theory that has recently been examined by these researchers. It’s a “do as I say, not as I do” attitude. This means that drivers are quick to lecture about the dangers of this behavior, but won’t make changes themselves to correct the situation.
We ask that you take the opportunity during “Heads Up Driving Week” to review your driving habits, and talk about the risks associated with distracted-driving with friends and family members. Curb all distractions, just for a few days, to see how much your driving skills improve. The Foundation offers you 10 quick and easy ways to minimize distractions while driving. Good luck and happy safe driving!
If you, a family member or someone you love has been injured in a distracted driving-related car accident in Sunrise, Deerfield or the surrounding areas, contact the personal injury lawyers at Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez, LLC. Call for a free and confidential appointment to discuss your rights at 1-800-561-7777.
More Blog Entries:
Fatal Car Accident in Lake Worth Urges Officials to Push Distracted Driving Regulations, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, September 11, 2011
City Celebrates 3 Years of Red-Light Cameras and Reduced Number of Car Accidents in Aventura, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, September 7, 2011