Federal Government Cracks Down on Distracted Driving
The feds are getting involved in what is perhaps one of the leading causes of car accidents: distracted driving. They’ve set up a website (Distraction.gov) with numerous tools to aid in educating drivers and preventing accidents.
According to Distraction.gov, distracted driving is defined as, “any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety.” They go on to provide examples of distracted driving, perhaps the most prevalent and widely discussed of which is texting.
If you spend any amount of time on the roads, you see people texting and driving. You also probably see people putting on makeup, fumbling with their music, reaching forward to use their GPS, and eating. Any of these activities can take your eyes off the road. Any one of them could lead to disaster.
The numbers on distracted driving are hard to come by. Following an accident, the police rarely know if someone was texting, for instance, unless they admit it. However, it’s estimated that in 2010, 18% of accidents were affected by distraction.
The crux of the new website is to educate drivers about the dangers of being distracted. And because they estimate young drivers as being particularly at risk, the site has information for parents and teachers as well.
“Eleven percent of all drivers under the age of 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crash. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted.”
We’ve all been distracted while behind the wheel. Whether you were tending to a child in the backseat or if you spilled your drink in your lap. Even if you make an effort not to text while behind the wheel, things can happen to take your mind off the road. And in a split second, everything can change.
In both New York and New Jersey, there is a ban on texting while driving and a ban on using hand-held devices while behind the wheel. This means you could be criminally charged if caught violating it. While most people abide by these laws, those that don’t put everyone at risk.
If you’ve been involved in an accident and you know the other driver wasn’t paying attention, it can be maddening. At Omrani & Taub, P.C., we know what you are going through. We know how difficult it is to recover from a serious accident and how that recovery can be even more difficult when you are angry about the situation.
When you are hurt in an accident, it’s difficult to manage the process of healing and the process of getting justice. That’s where we can help. Contact our attorneys today to discuss the details of your case and whether we might be able to help you get compensation for your injuries.
