Tuesday a 45-year-old truck driver crashed in Munfordville, Kentucky crossing a 60-foot-wide median and a cable barrier system before hitting a van of 12 people, killing himself and 10 others.

The cause of this accident has been attributed to cell phone usage including calls and texts and drowsiness. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has responded by recommending that commercial drivers be prohibited from using all forms of mobile phones while driving on the job.

The recommendation is just that, a recommendation. It does not have the effects that a law would, but if history is correct it will be the beginning of legislation that closely mirrors the ideas of the NTSB. Truckers have already been banned from texting while driving but they are allowed to use hands-free mobile phones.

Texting while driving is more dangerous than driving under the influence of alcohol and it seems to be a more prevalent practice as well. If someone brags about driving drunk there would be a great amount of disapproval among his/her peers; but if you talk about texting while driving the only people who might comment are parents. Texting is new technology for older generations, which is why this is a problem mainly among the ages of 18-24. According to a Nationwide Insurance study at any given time, between 20% and 66% of drivers in that age range are texting while driving.

In 2009, 5,474 people were killed in the U.S. because of accidents that involved distracted driving. Another 448,000 were injured. According to Distraction.gov distracted driving is “any non-driving activity a person engages in that has the potential to distract him or her from the primary task of driving and increase the risk of crashing.” The numbers of distracted driving accidents have gone up by 6% in 4 years and it can only be expected that they jump even higher as phones begin to turn into mini computers on the road. Having a smart phone is no different than operating a laptop while driving. If people saw the latter while driving they would scoff at the absurdity while they posted a new status update about it.

Saying you can text and drive because you can multi-task or you are just good at it is no different than someone claiming to be an expert at driving under the influence. The two are one in the same. They impair your judgment and reaction time, they distort what is going on around you and they take your attention off of the road and the other drivers around you.

The ban on texting and driving needs to extend to all distracted driving and should not be limited to just commercial licenses nor should it exclude them. The bigger the vehicle, the harder it is to gain back control once it is lost. Driving distracted is the most common way of losing control of the vehicle you are operating. No message, nothing you want to say is more important than your life and the lives of those around you. Driving is all about trust. Trusting that the person in the car next to you will stay in his or her own lane, trusting that the car in front of you isn’t going to throw it into reverse and plow over you. Earn and keep the trust given to you with the privileges of driving. Do not drive distracted.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a distracted driving accident contact the accident attorneys at Christensen Law Firm to find out what options are available to you. Call us today at 801-506-0800.

There have been several car accidents across the state of Utah this week, including a rollover accident on I-215 and a semi-trailer going through a highway median, both related to distracted driving.

Texting Accident Statistics

The use of texting has increased over recent years, certainly an impetus behind new texting laws that have been put into place. As of this year 88% of all cell phone users send and receive text messages, an increase of 22% from 2009. The research is also showing that talking on the phone is becoming less popular. The average cell phone call is now only 2.03 minutes, down from 3.13 minutes in 2009. That is the lowest average for a phone conversation since the data has been tracked.

Around 4.2 billion texts are sent every day, and the 18-25 year old users send the most texts on average. A person is 23 times more likely to be involved in an accident if they are texting. According to the government website for distracted driving, this is why about 200,000 crashes a year are text messaging-related.

Driving distracted is a choice, and a critical choice at that, because people’s lives are at stake. Last year in the United States 6,134 people were killed because of distracted driving and about 448,000 more people were injured. This can be changed if motorists can both acknowledge and take responsibility behind the wheel.

Salt Lake Car Accident Attorneys Can Help

Distracted driving is a problem, and it affects all who enter into motor vehicles. Regardless of how the accident occurred, emotional and physical pain often accompanies such events. If you have been in an accident and would like a no-obligation consultation from professional Salt Lake car accident attorneys call the Christensen Law Firm at 801-506-0800.

Many studies conducted in the past have concluded that driving distracted is a problem that causes many accidents. However, a new study done by the University of Kansas is now recognizing that driver boredom may also cause accidents, which, according to this study, could be ameliorated by increasing the driver’s concentration by doing another task.

In a driving simulator, results showed that drivers who were participating in a simultaneous task towards the end of their trip were more likely to stay in their lanes and were less likely to commit errors. These researchers still acknowledge, however, that there is a “degree of risk involved” when people are driving distracted.

Driving Distracted Statistics

While engaging in a secondary task may increase drivers’ focus, it is still important to remember that driving distracted is dangerous. Distraction can take many forms, such as exhaustion, illness, electronic use, and alcohol and other substance consumption. These distractions drastically increase the risk of being involved in a crash. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distraction is a factor in almost 9 out of 10 “rear-end” type accidents, thus drivers should always remain alert on the road if they don’t want to become a statistic.

While the facts surrounding driving distracted may be conflicted, one thing is not: Each individual must decide whether or not he/she will drive safe, and is therefore responsible for his/her actions.

Driving Distracted Attorney Information

Driving distracted, especially when it results in physical harm, can be overwhelming and extend far beyond the scene of the accident. If you or a loved one has been injured by someone driving distracted, call the attorneys at Christensen Law Firm at (801) 506-0800 to find out how they can help you today.

While it appears that texting while driving has the same effect on a driver as a .08% BAC (about 4 glasses of wine), less than ¼ of the continental states have a universal texting while driving ban. Over 1/3 have no ban, and the rest have a limited ban, usually on new drivers only. This is staggering! It seems kind of obvious, doesn’t it, that something that requires your hands off the wheel, your eyes off the road, and your mind off of the task at hand (driving, getting safely to your next destination, whatever you want to call it) should be, well, against the law?

The Christensen Law Firm recently published a new info graphic that shows just how dangerous texting and driving can be. The statistics relate, amongst other things, that 7 people die every day from cell phone-related accidents and that you are 4 times more likely to get in an accident if you use a cell phone while driving. The one positive statistic is that Utah drivers caught texting and driving can find themselves fined $750 and behind bars for up to 3 months—positive in the sense that somebody is actually trying to do something about this.

It seems useless to try to run away from increased litigation in coming years surrounding texting and driving. Technology is going to continue to advance, as is our desire to remain up to date with it, but let’s face it, our driving skills are not. If we don’t want to see these statistics rise at the same rate at which technology develops, let’s exercise some self-restraint and self-impose some rules, and push our states to do the same. We’ll be helping ourselves, our loved ones, and all those other drivers who have a potential impact on your life every day by eliminating texting and driving.

A recent study discovered that 1 out of 5 American motorists use their phones to surf the Internet. The news concerned Utah traffic authorities. According to them, it's difficult to determine how many accidents are caused by internet surfing while driving. Even if a person is suspected to have been distracted by using their phone, the driver won't always admit it.

Driver distraction is the cause of numerous deadly collisions. The Transportation Institute of the Virginia Tech University says 4 out of 5 crashes involve some form of driver distraction. Using a laptop or accessing the net by phone is not a wise decision behind the wheel. Though you may take pleasure in this, it’s simply distracting and hazardous. Instead, keep your eyes focused on the road and surf afterwards.

Other forms of driver distraction range from a variety of activities such as applying makeup, eating, reading, texting, singing, playing with a pet, or watching a movie. It is really important to take responsibility on the road because operating a car takes engagement of body and mind.
If you or a relative was seriously injured in a traffic accident caused by a distracted driver, contact the Christensen Law Firm to discuss your personal injury case and help you obtain compensation from the at-fault party. Contact us today (801) 506-0800.