Distracted driving is becoming even more common, and it’s one of the leading preventable causes of death and injury on the highway.
Many people have done it – gotten a notification on their phone while driving, picked it up, and tapped out a reply to a text message. Sure, they we were a little distracted for a second – but everything ended up okay, right?
As any car accident attorney can tell you, this is not always the case. Distracted driving is extraordinarily dangerous, and it is never a good idea to use your phone while driving.
Here are just 4 reasons that you should keep your phone in your pocket while driving, and avoid distracted driving.
1. You Are Far More Likely To Get In An Accident
When you drive distracted, you don’t have your eyes on the road – and you can easily drift off of the highway, hit a car that’s slowing down, or even injure a pedestrian, bicyclist, or motorcyclist. Cell phone use causes 1.6 million accidents per year.
If you take your eyes off of the road for just 5 seconds at 55 mph, you cover more than the length of a football field.
2. You’re More Likely To Be Found At-Fault For An Accident
If you were distracted while driving, and you are involved in an accident, you are far more likely to be found at-fault by your insurance company, and you may be liable if the victim of the crash hires a car accident lawyer to pursue a lawsuit.
Currently, Missouri law only prohibits under-21 drivers from texting and driving, though a new bill may extend this ban to other drivers. However, while texting and driving may be legal, that does not mean that it’s safe, or that it is not a factor taken into account during the insurance claims process.
3. Distracted Driving Is One Of The Leading Causes Of Deaths On The Highway
Distracted driving caused 3,450 deaths in 2016 alone, and injured 391,000 people. For comparison, drunk driving caused 10,497 deaths in 2016.
Distracted driving is becoming even more common, and it’s one of the leading preventable causes of death and injury on the highway, especially among teenagers and young adults, who already have significantly higher crash rates.
Don’t be a victim – or cause an accident. Put the cell phone down while you’re driving. It’s not worth your life.
Don’t Drive Distracted In St. Louis – Keep Yourself & Others Safe
The costs associated with a distracted driving case can be quite high. Higher insurance, legal costs, court fees, and more can take a toll.
So don’t drive distracted in St. Louis. Stay safe, and keep your phone where it belongs while you drive – out of sights, and out of mind.
