It’s no secret that distracted driving is a dangerous and deadly epidemic in the United States. We hear about injury causing and fatal distracted driving crashes on an almost daily basis. April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and public safety agencies in Texas and across the nation are doing everything they can to get the word out. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has kicked off their high visibility enforcement campaign called “U Drive. U Text. U Pay.” which is aimed at raising awareness about the dangers and costs associated with distracted driving crashes.
U Drive. U Text. U Pay
The NHTSA has utilized television, radio and social media advertising campaigns to raise awareness about the dangers of texting behind the wheel. They’ve spent approximately $5 million in national advertising. The costs associated with distracted driving crashes are astronomical too. From medical bills to lost wages and property damage, distracted driving isn’t cheap. Drivers are reminded to put the phones down before they get behind the wheel.
Distracted Driving by The Numbers
- In 2014, 3,179 people were killed in crashes involving distracted drivers.
- An estimated 431,000 people were injured in crashes involving distracted drivers in 2014.
- As of December 2014, 169.3 billion text messages were sent in the U.S. every month.
- At any given daylight moment in the U.S., approximately 660,000 drivers are using cell phones or electronic devices behind the wheel.
Injury Causing and Fatal Distracted Driving Crashes
A heartbreaking article out of the Star-Telegram recently reported on a California teen who died in a distracted-driving crash almost one year to the day after she walked away from a very serious crash involving distracted driving. Texting is a triple threat behind the wheel. It’s what is considered a manual, cognitive and visual distraction. It takes your thoughts, eyes and hands off the task of driving. The NHTSA wants to remind motorists that if they’re texting, they’re not driving. This isn’t something you can safely multi-task with. You’re either doing one or the other. The phone call or text can wait, and you could save a life.
If you have been injured or if you have lost a loved one due to a distracted driver in Wichita Falls or in any of the surrounding Texoma communities, contact the skilled team at the Altman Legal Group at (940) 761-4000 for a free case consultation.