Posted in Car Accident,Distracted Driving,Tennessee Accident Law on March 21, 2016
Emergency Responders Create Crash Scenario for Page High School Students
Emergency responders from across Williamson County participated in a mock crash scenario at Page High School in Franklin, Tennessee, on Friday to help demonstrate the dangers of texting and driving for students.
According to a report by WKRN.com, the scenario involved a student who was texting while driving before crashing into another vehicle. The student actors simulated suffering serious injuries as a result of the accident, while the driver of the other vehicle simulated suffering fatal injuries.
A paramedic who participated in the mock crash scenario told reporters that she hopes students witnessing the scenario will catch their attention and make them more aware of the dangers of texting and driving.
Cohen Children’s Hospital in New York performed research that found more teens are killed in accidents caused by texting and driving than accidents caused by drinking and driving.
In addition, textinganddrivingsafety.com reports that around 23 percent of auto accidents in 2011 involved the usage of cell phones, and people who text while behind the wheel are 23 percent more likely to be involved in car accidents than people who keep their eyes on the roadway.
Why Is Texting and Driving So Dangerous?
With the widespread use of cell phones and smartphones in the United States, texting and driving has become a dangerous epidemic that causes thousands of drivers and passengers to suffer injuries every day throughout the country. While any activities that cause drivers to divert their attention away from the road can be dangerous, text messaging is unique in its risks due to the fact that it requires visual, physical, and mental attention—all of which cause drivers to neglect their duties to uphold safe driving behaviors.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Department of Transportation’s website, distraction.gov, outlines several key facts and statistics about texting and driving, including:
Car accidents have always been one of the leading causes of death for adolescents and teenagers, and distractions like texting and driving have only served to increase the risks they face on the roadway.
The dangers of texting and driving aren’t limited to just adolescents and teenagers. Drivers who are college-aged and young adults also contribute to auto accidents due to cell phone usage, and nearly two out of five drivers who cause cell phone-related fatal accidents in the U.S. are between the ages of 20 and 29.
Glancing away from the roadway even momentarily puts drivers at an increased risk of car accidents, but texting and driving can divert their attention for around five seconds. In that timeframe, vehicles can travel the length of a football field when traveling at 55 miles per hour.
Figures released by the National Occupant Protection Use Survey found that 660,000 drivers in the U.S. are distracted by cell phones and other electronic devices at any given time during daylight hours.
Despite education and enforcement efforts by police and highway authorities, the number of drivers who text is increasing. In 2013, 1.7 percent of drivers were visibly texting, and in 2014, that number increased to 2.2 percent.
Texting and driving isn’t the only dangerous thing you can do with a cell phone or smartphone. Other risky behaviors include using your phone to look up directions, using social media, and playing games. To protect your safety and the safety of other motorists and their passengers, never operate your cell phone while driving.
At Matt Hardin Law, our Franklin auto accident attorneys handle many car accident claims every year, and we know that a large number of crashes in Middle Tennessee are due to distracted drivers. If you or someone you love was injured in a car accident caused by a distracted driver, we may be able to help you recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and other accident-related expenses. Get in touch with our legal team today: dial (615) 200-1111 or complete a free online consultation form.
