You see it just about every day you drive your own car. Whether you do it yourself, or you spot someone in traffic staring down at a stoplight. There are constant issues with texting and driving happening at monumental rates. The problem truly exists in far more statistics than you can imagine. This is the very beginning of Reyes Browne Reilley’s law blog series on distracted driving. Please don’t read this while you operate your own vehicle!
Texting at All Ages
Americans of all ages text and drive. It’s not just teenagers. 69% of drivers between the ages of 18-64 have admitted they’re guilty of texting whilst driving. This monumental statistic displays that nearly 7/10 drivers that you have in front of you are on their phones. How insanely unsafe does that sound?
Death Happens Far Too Often
The grim truth to texting and driving is that your chance of dying in a crash related to distracted driving goes up significantly. In 2018, roughly 4,637 people were killed as a result of car accidents caused by texting while driving. Not one notification is that important that it cannot wait until you arrive where you are going. It’s not worth your life.
The Worst Offenders Have Much More to Offer
Texting and driving have massive effects on the youth of our nation. As we noted before, texting and driving happen at all ages, but the biggest margin of impact lies within our teens. Phones cause many distractions throughout their young lives, but they should never distract them from the road.
You Are Not Invincible, You Will Get Into a Wreck
15% of drivers that admitted their guilt of habitual texting and talking while driving has gone and been involved in some type of accident related to distracted driving. These individuals often believe they’re safer than they really are. However, this false sense of safety is what ultimately causes their negligent behavior to harm either themselves or others.
Drunk Driving, or Texting and Driving? What’s Worse?
It goes without saying that both drinking and driving, as well as texting and driving are both horrible decisions to make. However, new studies have shown individuals who text while driving actually cause six times more accidents than drunk driving does. Both habits have astronomically high numbers of accidents, injuries, and deaths.
The True Cost of Texting and Driving
Texting and driving, while it may be easy, it is not free. In 2018, the accidents that occurred as a result of individuals texting and driving came to a whopping grand total of $129 billion. This money is all rightfully given to the individuals that were claimed as victims of texting and driving. Those that were obeying the law and had the misfortune of getting hit by someone that wasn’t.
How Does Texting and Driving Cost Money?
People who fell victim to those driving negligently deserve to receive financial compensation. Those that are negligent need to be held accountable. If you or a loved one have been suffering from injuries another individual’s negligence behind the wheel, you need to call Reyes Browne Reilley. Our Dallas-Fort Worth car accident injury lawyers will help you get the money you deserve. We have been operating as a personal injury law firm for nearly 30 years and we want to use our experience to fight for you. Call us now, it is 100% free of charge for your consultation and hiring us. That’s right, we fight for you and you don’t owe us a dime unless we win your case! We are available 24/7, you can reach us at (214) 526-7900 right now!
Statistics and facts pulled from the following sites:
- https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/distracted_driving/index.html
- https://www.nsc.org/driveithome/resources/teen-safe-driving-coalitions
- https://www.techtimes.com/articles/8185/20140609/texting-is-more-dangerous-than-drugs-alcohol-while-driving-study.htm
- www.drivinglaws.org/indexhf.php
- https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/motor-vehicle-safety-issues/distracted-driving/