Put Down The Cellphone

When you get behind the wheel, think about putting down the cellphone and listening to some music.  The National Safety Council has estimated that 1 in 4 car crashes involve cell phone use.  In fact, distracted driving is now the 3rd leading cause of fatalities on the road, and not far behind alcohol and speeding.  Many of us believe that as long as we don’t text or read emails while driving, we will be fine. That belief is completely false.

Hands-free technologies certainly make it easier to text, talk on the phone, or even use social media while driving, but recently the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety conducted a study revealing that dangerous mental distractions exist even when drivers keep their hands on the wheel.

The researchers found that as mental workload and distractions increase reaction time slows, brain function is compromised, and drivers miss visual cues and scan the road less.  This can result in drivers not seeing stop signs and pedestrians.

Just yesterday the National Safety Council reported that traffic safety fatalities are up 14% so far in 2015, and we are on course for the deadliest year for drivers since 2007.   Although the National Safety Council seems to attribute the rise in fatalities to more drivers on the road with cheaper gas prices, and an uptick in the economy, the cell phone and its related distractions cannot be ignored.

New Jersey automobile accident attorneys are available to answer questions pertaining to automobile laws and automobile insurance.  If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver, be sure to contact a New Jersey car accident attorney to discuss your rights.