Simply put do
not engage in other activities while driving. This can be talking to a
passenger, grooming, texting, cell phone calls, eating or drinking, reading,
watching videos or adjusting a radio. Any activity that diverts your attention
away from driving is a distraction and can increase your chance of a motor
vehicle accident.
There are
three main groups of distractions, which are manual, visual or cognitive.
Manual
distraction involved taking your hands off the wheel, visual distraction is
taking your eyes off the road and cognitive distraction is when the driver’s
mind wanders and is not on the act of driving.
Distracted
driving is deadly serious! Our younger
drivers are at the greatest risk for accidents causes by distracted driving.
The following are some statistics taken from distraction.gov:
· 10% of drivers of all ages under the age of 20 involved in
fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crash. This age
group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted.
· A quarter of teens respond to a text message once or more
every time they drive. 20 percent of teens and 10 percent of parents admit that
they have extended multi-message text conversations while driving.(UMTRI)
According to
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Facts and Statistics each day
in the United States, more than 9 people are killed and more than 1,153 people
are injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver.
We urge you
to drive safely and to avoid distractions. If you have to make a phone call,
stop in a parking lot or other protected area.
If you or a
loved one has been a victim of a distracted driver you should contact an
experienced personal injury attorney at Hopkins, Barvié & Hopkins, P.L.L.C and we will evaluate your case at no cost or
obligation. Contact us online or
call 228-864-2200 to schedule your free initial consultation with
an experienced lawyer.
At
Hopkins, Barvié & Hopkins, P.L.L.C., we
defend your interests and protect your legal rights. With more than 67 years of
combined legal experience, our attorneys offer our clients throughout
Mississippi the representation they need.
To best meet the needs of our diverse client base, we speak Spanish. Los Abogados Hablan Espanol.