Crashes involving a distracted driver … cost the nation $46 billion in 2010, an average cost of $148 for every person in the U.S. Including lost quality of life, these crashes were responsible for $129 billion of the overall societal harm caused by motor vehicle crashes. – The Economic and Societal Impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2010 (NHTSA)
In honor of Distracted Driving Awareness Month, here are the facts behind some common distracted driving myths. Contact us for help with your financial recovery if you’ve been hurt by a negligent driver.
Distracted driving, which is clearly a prominent threat to public safety on U.S. roadways, is the focus of a national campaign that is being sponsored by the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Safety Council (NSC). Lasting for the entire month of April, Distracted Driving Awareness Month will focus on calling attention to the problem of distracted driving while encouraging motorists to commit to:
- Putting down their cellphones while driving
- Staying focused on the task of driving
- Doing their part to prevent collisions.
In support of Distracted Driving Awareness Month, we’ll dedicate this blog series to dispelling some common distracted driving myths. While the facts behind these myths are as important as they may be shocking, don’t hesitate to contact a trusted Denver car accident lawyer at Cederberg Law if you’ve been injured in a traffic accident caused by a distracted or negligent driver. We have the skills and insight necessary to help you succeed in your financial recovery.
Don’t Buy into These Distracted Driving Myths
Myth 1: Multitasking behind the wheel isn’t dangerous.
Fact: Multitasking while driving IS dangerous. This is because, when our brains multitask, they alternate between two (or more) different cognitive functions. So, when someone is talking on the cellphone and driving, his brain switches from focusing on the functions necessary for the conversation to those necessary for driving, alternating between the two until one task is finished.
Ultimately, this usually ends up meaning that drivers who talk on the phone (or otherwise multitask) while behind the wheel will not have their full focus on the task of driving, which, in turn, will increase the risk of:
- Missing important visual driving cues (like other vehicles’ brake lights, stop signs, etc.)
- Slowed reaction times
- Getting into collisions.
Myth 2: Distracted driving is just an issue for younger drivers.
Fact: Distracted driving is an issue for motorists of all ages, and the most prominent form of distracted driving these days – talking or texting on cellphones while driving – has also proven to be a problem among motorists of various ages. In fact, according to the NHTSA, about 23 percent of all traffic accidents in the U.S. involve motorists using cellphones at the time of the collision.
For some more facts behind common distracted driving myths, be sure to check out the additional two parts of this blog series that will be published soon.
A Denver Car Accident Lawyer at Cederberg Law Can Help You
Have you or a loved one been injured in a car accident caused by a distracted or negligent driver? If so, contact a Denver car accident lawyer at Cederberg Law to find out more about your best options for financial recovery.
To meet with us at no cost or obligation to you, call us at 303-499-0449 or email us using the form at the side of the screen. In addition to offering free initial consults and contingency fee options, our lawyers make hospital visits to ensure that you have access to the legal support you need – whenever you need it.
