Recently, leaders in the fields of transportation, public policy, law enforcement, and science came together to discuss how to reduce motor vehicle crashes resulting from distracted driving through a combination of legislation, enforcement, public awareness, and education. There is no question that distracted driving is an epidemic in our country. In fact, the US Department of Transportation estimates that in 2008, 800,000 vehicles driven by someone using a cell phone. 500,000 persons were injured in cell-phone related collisions. An additional 6,000 people died in a vehicle crash related directly to distracted driving. If you or a loved one has been affected by this sort of preventable negligence in San Antonio or its surrounding areas, call the lawyers at Carabin Shaw today. There is a San Antonio texting and driving crash attorney ready and willing to represent you.
Distracted driving is often equated with drunk driving, and for good reason. Both can lead to distraction and lack of proper focus and use of motor skills while driving that can be harmful, or even fatal, for driver and surrounding drivers/pedestrians. The danger of distracted driving via texting is most acute in young drivers who have grown up surrounded by hand-held electronic devices and round-the-clock access to technology. The Pew Research Center has found that 70% of 16 and 17 year olds admit they’ve either been in a car while the driver was texting, or been personally guilty of it themselves. Most teens have been texting or using hand-held phones or pads since they were 9 or 10 years old. They are now growing into their late teens and more frequently getting behind the wheel of a car.
The statistics above will continue to rise as our civilizations relies more heavily on technology and checking our phones slowly shifts from an occasional functionality to subconscious normalcy. Needless to say, texting and driving - bad idea. If you have been affected by a cell phone related incident that has brought unforeseen harm upon you or your family and you live in or San Antonio, Carabin Shaw lawyers are here for you.
In order to even begin and combat such a serious and deep-rooted problem, it will take a consistent combination of education, effective enforcement, and a committed judiciary, not to mention collective efforts by local, state, and national advocates. Of course, on a more basic level, parents of these teenagers need to set clear ground rules for teenage drivers, and follow it up with strict enforcement. Beyond this, other teens should exert peer pressure and let their friends know they will not ride along with them if they are going to text or allow themselves to be distracted while driving.
Employers should also allow employees to travel to destinations without interruption or an expectation of immediate response if they text/call their workers while they share the road with other drivers. When you drive a car, you possess control of a large collection of fast moving metal that can be deadly if you lack the necessary attention to the task at hand. In this way, all of us must use common sense every time we get behind the wheel. Cell phones, texting and driving are far too often related. The concept of texting and driving - bad idea may culminate in an accident involving you or a loved one, but it does not have to be a burdensome and solitary task to combat the effects of the crash.
If you have been suffered from a texting and driving accident in the San Antonio area, do not hesitate to call the attorneys at Carabin Shaw. We are here to help.
A growing number of states have pending legislation that seeks to ban distracting driving as much as possible from our roads and highways. The insurance and telecommunications industries are engaged in a search for solutions. Thankfully, on-going discussions, studies, and concerned parties have identified a number of promising avenues to minimize the risks of distracted driving. Some of these are already in the preliminary stages of becoming status quo. But the truth is, there will never be a way to fix the problem until we all hold ourselves and each other accountable for safe, device-free vehicle operation.
The concept that texting and driving - bad idea should be an unspoken equivalency that all drivers take to heart for the good of everyone on the roads around us, but all too often, it is not. Contact the Carabin Shaw San Antonio lawyers, day or night, if you have been adversely affected by an accident caused by texting and driving for a free consultation. You’ll be glad you did.