Talking and texting using cell phones and mobile devices is very commonplace today, even among drivers. According to a recent Prevention magazine survey, there are over 100 million cell-phone subscribers across the country, and over 85% of them report regularly talking while driving. This is despite the fact that a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2001 found that drivers talking on cell phones are four times more likely to be in a car crash when compared with drivers who drive distraction free. Despite many media campaigns to make drivers aware of the dangers of distracted driving, many drivers continue to talk and drive. There are many dangers connected with talking and driving:
1) It causes slow and erratic driving. Drivers who are focused on talking rather than driving may make driving errors, make drive recklessly or mindlessly, and may drive more slowly as their focus is elsewhere. This can easily lead to Biscayne Park car accidents.
2) It takes the driver’s eyes off the road. Studies have shown that drivers who use hand-held devices take their eyes off the road for seconds at a time – enough time to travel the length of a football field or more. This is more than enough time to cause a serious Biscayne Park pedestrian accident or traffic accident.
3) It takes the driver’s mind off the road. The $40-billion-a-year cell-phone industry has introduced many types of technology in recent years to allow drivers to talk and drive without using hand-held devices. Built-in phones, voice-activated dialing features, headsets, and car speakerphones all promise to keep driver’s eyes on the roads. However, these devices still distract drivers from thinking about traffic, and some experts feel that they are still a danger in cars.
4) It can prevent a driver from hearing important auditory cues. Cell phones can take a driver’s mind and eyes off the road, but they also focus the driver’s eyes away from the road, which can be just as dangerous. Hearing alarm signals, horns, and other cues is an important part of driving safely and cell phones distract from that. It is one possible reason why hands-free devices have been found by some research studies to be just as distracting as cell phones for drivers.
5) It can lull drivers into a false sense of security when driving. Many people claim that cell phones actually help them drive, by providing them with map apps, the ability to call in emergency situations, and other features. However, drivers who use their cell phones while driving without facing any consequences will likely continue to do so, increasing their risk of a serious Biscayne Park traffic accident.
Of course, cell phones are not the only distraction that drivers face. CD players, food, scenery, and passengers, as well as an infinite list of other distractions are part and parcel of driving for many drivers each day. However, hand-held devices have become one of the most visible and noted distractions that drivers face, in part because of their prevalence and in part because Biscayne Park car accidents caused by this form of distraction seem so preventable.
If you have been injured by a distracted driver, contact the Flaxman Law Group, a full service law firm with a caring, professional legal team. Your initial consultation with the Flaxman Law Group is free and comes with no obligation, so that you can get the answers you need to move forward.