All it takes is one text message, one phone call, or one glance away, and your life can change – or it can end. The National Safety Council in the US has estimated that cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes every year, and in 2015, 3,477 people were killed in the US because of distracted drivers. It doesn’t have to be a cell phone, because anything that takes your full attention away from the road can lead to an accident.
One major problem is that people will allow themselves to become distracted, because though they acknowledge the fact that distracted driving is dangerous, they don’t believe anything will happen to them. To these people, the few moments they look away doesn’t seem at all dangerous. But in those moments, someone could decide to jaywalk, or a car could make a sudden turn. Other drivers and pedestrians can also be distracted, and two people distracted on the road are a recipe for disaster.
Put your phone away when you’re driving, and check it when you’re parked. If you have to make a phone call, it’s better to safely pull over when you can – even if you’re speaking with a Bluetooth headset or through a hands-free feature in your car. These devices can still be a source of distraction. If you find yourself in a situation where you’ve been injured in a car accident, whether as a driver, cyclist, or pedestrian, MG Law has a team that can help. Safety should always come first. While you can’t always control what happens on the road, you can be aware of your surroundings.
