Is Distracted Driving Really All That Dangerous?

Everyone knows the extreme dangers of drinking and driving. The potential for tragic accidents and loss of life, as well as the severe consequences for those charged with drunk driving, is well known. However, distracted driving is just as serious, yet people do it every day without a second thought. It’s not hyperbole to say that it’s not a matter of if you’ll have an accident driving while distracted, but when.

Distracted driving is any activity that takes your attention away from your main focus behind the wheel—driving and paying attention to the road. This includes talking or texting on your phone, playing around with your music system, setting or adjusting your GPS, eating or drinking, putting on makeup, or talking to passengers (especially in the backseat).

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports the following statistics for distracted driving in 2015 (the most recent year for available data):

• Eight people are killed every day as a result of distracted driving
• 10% of fatal crashes were reported as distracted driving car accidents
• 15% of injury crashes and 14% of traffic crashes were reported as distracted driving crashes
• 3,477 people were killed and 391,000 were injured in crashes involving distracted drivers
• The 15- to 19-year-old age group has the largest proportion of distracted drivers involved in fatal crashes
• 551 non-drivers (passengers, pedestrians, cyclists) were killed in distracted driver-related accidents

Types of distracted driving

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists three different types of distraction.

• Visual: Taking your eyes off the road
• Manual: Taking your hands off the steering wheel
• Cognitive: Taking your mind off driving

Texting while driving combines all three of these, making it especially unsafe.

At Wagner Workers Compensation & Personal Injury Lawyers, we put our skill and experience to work for you when you are injured in a car accident with a distracted driver. We serve clients in Chattanooga and Cleveland, TN, in North Georgia, and all surrounding counties. Call us today at 423-756-7923 or complete our contact form to schedule your free consultation with a knowledgeable Chattanooga personal injury lawyer.