Parents More Likely to Text and Drive Than Teens
Many parents warn their teen drivers of the dangers of distracted driving behaviors, including talking and texting on cell phones. A new research study conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital indicates that teens are not listening. According to other surveys, many parents are also failing to follow their own advice.
Texting While Driving is Distracted Driving
Distracted driving covers a wide range of driving behaviors that result in a driver’s attention being diverted from the road. Changing a radio station dial, eating or drinking, brushing one’s hair, applying makeup, turning to have a conversation with a passenger, and checking a map are all types of distracted driving behaviors. Distracted driving results in over 3,400 fatalities each year in the United States. An additional 390,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes caused by distracted driving in 2016.
Cell phone use has become one of the most common types of distracted driving behaviors. Drivers who talk on their cellphone, check their text messages, or text while driving are three times more likely to be involved in an automobile collision. In the few seconds it takes to send or receive a text message, a car traveling at the speed of 55 miles per hour would have traveled the length of a football field without the driver watching the road ahead. Cell phone use while driving has been associated with decreased ability to engage in spatial processing, which is an important part of the driving process.
Almost every state has a ban on texting while driving. New Jersey has joined other states, including New York and California, in banning any use of handheld cell phones while driving.
Teens and Distracted Driving
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey shows unsupervised teen drivers are the most likely to text and drive. States with lower minimum driving ages, such as South Dakota, have the largest percentage of teen drivers texting while driving. Teen drivers are more likely to be injured in a car accident resulting from cell phone use than from a drunk driving accident. Statistics show drivers under the age of 20 comprise the largest proportion of distracted drivers when it comes to automobile fatalities.
With over 26 percent of automobile crashes involving the use of cell phones, it is no surprise parents can be just as likely to text and drive as their teenagers. Drivers of all ages are spending more time texting on their phones while driving, creating dangerous conditions on the nation’s roadways. Researchers found that while almost 43 percent of teen drivers admit to texting and driving, 49 percent of adults admitted to the same dangerous driving behavior in a 2014 study conducted AT&T.
Highland Park Car Accident Lawyers at the Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr Represent Car Accident Victims
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident caused by distracted driving, compensation may be available. At the Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr, our experienced Highland Park car accident lawyers assist accident victims during this difficult time. To schedule a free consultation today, call us at 732-537-8570 or submit an online inquiry form. Located in Highland Park, New Jersey, we serve clients from the surrounding areas, including New Brunswick, Somerset, Piscataway, Edison, South River, Sayreville, Metuchen, East Brunswick, South Plainfield, Fords, Middlesex, Old Bridge, Iselin, Bound Brook, Perth Amboy, and Colonia.
