Texting and Driving is Deadly
We all know people who are constantly on their phones. But how many of us know someone who is addicted to their smart phone? For some, cell phone usage has gotten completely out of hand and they are actually seeking treatment for their cell phone addiction.
Consider all the things that we can do on our phones. There are apps for everything. We can check email, play games, listen to music, surf the internet, take photos, watch movies, and even download apps that will translate our speech into different languages. Chances are that you are reading this blog from your cell phone. So how has this cell phone addition endangered the lives of motorists?
Cell Phones, Cars, and Teens are a Dangerous Combination
By now we know that cell phone usage can leads to distracted driving resulting in serious personal injuries or death. But how bad is it? The Federal Communications Commission recently reported some alarming statistics:
- Forty Percent of all American teens say they have been in a car when the driver used a cell phone in a way that put people in danger!
- Text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted (Imagine what the statistics would be for someone surfing the web or playing a game)
- Eleven percent of drivers aged 18 to 20 who were involved in an automobile accident and survived admitted that were sending or receiving a text when they crashed.
https://www.fcc.gov/guides/texting-while-driving
One popular website reports that texting while driving is about six times more likely to cause an accident than driving intoxicated! Texting while driving causes 1,600,000 accidents per year, 330,000 injuries per year, and results in an average of 11 teen deaths EVERY DAY!
Texting and Driving can Cost You Serious Money
Personal Injury Attorney Joel Williams routinely handles car wreck cases where individuals have been seriously injured in car wrecks caused by drivers who are distracted by their cell phones. If you think you are capable of safely texting and driving, think again. If you seriously injure someone while texting, you will likely be on the wrong end of a multi-million dollar lawsuit.
O.C.G.A. § 40-6-241.2 prohibits Georgia drivers from driving while “using a wireless telecommunications device to write, send, or read any text based communication, including but not limited to a text message, instant message, e-mail, or Internet data.”
Tractor-trailer drivers are not allowed to hold a cell phone while driving. O.C.G.A. § 40-6-241.2(b)(2).
How do We Solve the Problem of Texting and Driving?
First, we must set a good example. This starts at home. Our children watch everything we do. This includes how we drive. If your children see you texting and driving, they will do it too. Put down the phone and show your children that safe driving is a priority for you.
If you are worried that the temptation to check your cell phone is too great, there are numerous apps available that will block incoming texts and calls while you are driving. Do a little research on your mobile carrier’s website. It just might save your life.
If you don’t want to download an app, turn your cell phone to silent and put it somewhere out of reach. The trunk of your car is a great place.
Texting and Driving Lawsuits
Until our society begins to take this deadly conduct seriously, Attorney Joel Williams will continue to vigorously pursue civil lawsuits on behalf of his clients that have been the victim of distracted drivers. Remember texting and driving is just as dangerous, if not more dangerous, than drunk driving. Don’t do it. As the Georgia Department of Transportation says “DriveAlert ArriveAlive.”