As Distracted Driving Awareness Month comes to a close, the Car Accident Attorneys of Rutter Mills wanted to leave our readers with a post about the dangers of distracted driving. Inattention on the roadways is a proven killer – the good news is that it can be avoided by staying focused on the roadways.
80% of all crashes recently studied by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute involved driver inattention within 3 seconds of the crash. Below are a few statistics about driver behaviors that increase risk of accident:
Texting – Increases Risk 23 Times
Reaching for a moving object -Increases Risk 9 Times
Driving Drowsy – Increases Risk 4 Times
Reading – Increases Risk 3.4 Times
Applying Makeup – Increases Risk 3 Times
Talking on Cell Phone – Increases Risk 4 Times
In 2009, 756 people died on Virginia Roads. There were more than 116,744 crashes resulting in 62,796 injuries during the same period. Driver inattention was the leading factor in these crashes. The very nature of an accident is that it is unexpected. Be prepared and aware on the roadways and you can drastically reduce your risk of being in an auto accident.