With April being Distracted Driving Awareness Month, it’s important to continue to highlight the dangers associated with this growing epidemic. Although all ages of drivers are susceptible to distractions, younger drivers are the most at risk. That’s because they spend the most time on their smartphones, and many have grown up with them.
To help younger drivers—and any drivers who struggle with distractions—stay safe on the road, it can help to point out these shocking facts about distracted driving:
- You can travel the length of a football field in the time it takes to send a text message. Many people think of texting as quick and easy, and it is—unless you’re behind the wheel. Even taking 5 seconds to send a text is enough to drive the equivalent distance of a football field.
- It can take over 10 seconds to “refocus” your brain after texting. Effective multitasking is a myth—people can’t handle two complicated tasks at once, especially not texting and driving! Switching back and forth is incredibly dangerous, and refocusing your brain after texting takes time.
- The number of distracted drivers is much higher than what’s reported. It can be difficult to determine if a driver was distracted before a crash. It often requires self-reporting, but drivers don’t always share that fact after crashes, which means the true number may be much higher.
Another shocking fact about distracted driving is that the people who are hurt by it often see their compensation claims reduced or denied by insurance companies. Don’t let that happen to you! Contact the Nashville auto accident lawyers at Ponce Law for a free consultation and to find out how we can help.
