The Dangers of Distracted Driving Takes a Turn for the Worse

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Car Accidents

It appears that the dangers of distracted driving have fallen on deaf ears. Not only are drivers placing calls, tweeting and exchanging texts but they are now risking an even higher rate of personal injury by adding surfing the internet to the list of distracted driving practices. State Farm Insurance recently revealed the results of a seven-year study that concluded that 29 percent of drivers have admitted to surfing the web while behind the wheel, representing a 13 percent increase since 2009. Additional evidence also revealed that 21 percent of drivers still admit to checking Facebook and Twitter, while one third of drivers polled, openly admit to still texting while driving. Chris Mullen, director of technology research for State Farm, attributes this latest distracted driving trend to the increased prevalence of smartphones. Mullen noted that a healthy 88 percent of the 1,000 survey participants involved were smartphone users. Advanced smart phone technology has opened a Pandora’s Box of wider communication features and increased functionality. These advances have made it much easier to check internet activity rather than just giving in to the urge to send a quick text here and there. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA, established under the Highway Safety Act of 1970 and dedicated to achieving the highest standard of excellence in motor vehicle and highway safety, reports that although there had been a 0.1 percent decline in highway fatalities during 2014, they now report a 8.1 increase for the same reporting period of 2015. The NHTSA sees this as a troubling departure from the 2014 general downward trend. The NHTSA and other concerned state and federal agencies strongly urge our nation’s drivers to just say no to electronically communicating while driving.  Various states are currently pushing to make it illegal to even hold a smartphone or electronic device while behind the wheel. Unfortunately, drivers have not been able to break these potentially deadly habits and are pushing the limits as they take a wrong turn down a very dangerous road. If you have been involved in a car accident due to the distracted driving habits of another driver, the Milwaukee personal injury attorneys of Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, LLP have an experienced team of professionals on hand to assess the damages. Our seasoned legal team has experience working with accident investigators, medical professionals and other personal injury experts to ensure our clients receive just compensation. To discuss your case, contact us for an initial consultation at 414-271-1440 today. Sources: http://kttc.com/story/30700337/2015/12/08/state-farm-report-finds-more-people-surf-the-web-while-they-drive http://nbc15.com/home/headlines/More-people-are-surfing-the-web-behind-the-wheel-360935901.html http://nhtsa.gov/About

http://nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Press+Releases/2015/2014-traffic-deaths-drop-but-2015-trending-higher