Many of our readers in Minneapolis know that car accidents are one of the leading causes of death in America. But, what are the most common causes of car accidents? Well, as most people would probably guess, distracted driving is high on the list. And, according to a recent report, the vast majority of drivers on the roadways in America agree that distracted driving is a serious problem: 80 percent say so, in fact.
Distracted drivers aren’t just a “flash in the pan” problem either: this problem is on the rise. The recent report noted that in 2015 car accident deaths caused by distracted driving rose 9 percent. And, with the proliferation of smartphones and a rebound in the national economy that will only encourage Americans to travel more, distracted driving is, by all indications, not going to be solved anytime soon.
This hasn’t stopped most states from addressing the issue with state law changes. In fact, as the recent articled pointed out, almost all states have some form of law that addresses distracted driving. But, it doesn’t appear that those efforts are enough to stop people from texting and driving, or otherwise using electronic devices while driving.
The real tragedy behind car accidents that are caused by distracted driving is that this negligent behavior is totally preventable: just put the phone down! Like drunk driving, distracted driving is something that could be entirely prevented if people just made the right choices. Sending or receiving a text message isn’t worth your life, or the life of another person.
Source: gainesville.com, “Avoid distractions while driving,” Mark Avera, March 31, 2017
