It appears that if a dangerous epidemic is not in the major news headlines, people tend to forget about it. An example of this could be seen in how distracted driving accidents are treated. Two summers ago, everyone from major celebrities and federal officials were bemoaning the practice of using cell phones while behind the wheel. While the drumbeat of prevention has seemingly died down, the number of distracted driving related accidents have not.
A recent HuffingtonPost.com article highlighted that nearly half of all adults admit to texting and driving, and an investigation into a Tennessee bus accident last winter revealed that it was caused by distracted driving. The driver who caused the fatal crash was later found dead in his home; but authorities have released little information about the death.
Nevertheless, it is a harsh reminder that distracted driving is still a problem on America’s roads. In fact, there are a number of statistics that speak to this issue. This post will highlight a few.
Nine each day – This points to the number of people killed every day on U.S. roads and highways as a result of distracted driving.
One in four – This represents the probability that distracted driving, most notably, the use of a cell phone, played a major role in a particular accident.
Two and five – The number two represents the number of seconds a driver can safely look away from the road at a cell phone. The number five represents the number of seconds drivers usually look away from the road to look at their phones.
Related Posts: Summer months bring increased risk of car accidents, What are some examples of distracted driving?, Collision avoidance systems and rear-end collisions, Who is liable for your injuries in a driverless car accident?