The National Safety Council recently reported that recent data indicate that one in four car crashes involves the use of a cell phone. What may be even more of a surprise is that only 5 percent of collisions involve texting and driving, while 21 percent occur when a driver is talking on a cell phone, whether it be handheld or with a hands-free device. Let these findings be a reminder that talking on a cell phone while driving is incredibly dangerous.
According to the same report, in 2012, 421,000 people were injured and another 3,328 lost their lives in car crashes that involved a distracted driver. Often, when drivers talk on the phone they get wrapped up in the conversation and quit paying attention to the road, even if for just a few seconds. It is time that we start holding drivers accountable for causing accidents while distracted.
If you receive a call or a text message while you are driving, do everyone including yourself a favor and pull over to take the call or respond to the text. If not, your next call might be to a car wreck lawyer near you. If you or a family member has been injured by a distracted driver, it is important that you hold the responsible party accountable. Not only will it serve as a deterrent, it will also send a clear message that talking on the phone or texting while driving is not acceptable conduct.
Steve Sanders is a civil prosecutor based in Kansas City, Missouri. Steve is a plaintiff’s attorney that is passionate about holding distracted drivers accountable for causing crashes that injure others. Contact the Sanders.Law today for a free consultation to discuss the circumstances surrounding your injury.