The Fight against Distracted Driving Continues On
Every day, many lives are injured and killed as a result of distracted driving accidents on the roads. Whether the driver is using their cell phone for music, texting and driving, talking on the phone, distracted with others in the car or trying to eat their food, people are being placed at risk regularly because of these actions.
Sadly, when a distracted driver is out on the road, not only are they placing their own life in danger of a serious accident, but any passengers in their car, other vehicles on the road and pedestrians alike are also at risk of being serious harmed because of their choice to distract themselves.
Fully aware of the dangers of distracted driving, more and more states are implementing ways for which they can educate their citizens in order to prevent these accidents from occurring down the road.
According to Jonathan Adkins, the executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), the states are concerned with the dangers of the road and are seeking to create ways that they can make the necessary changes in their areas. Unfortunately, one of the primary concerns is the fact that fighting to keep the attention of a driver in today’s society is simply put, “an uphill battle.”
Despite the fact that many states are not equipped with the needed funding to educate their locations, the battle against the modern driver today is proving to be much more complicating because they often times refuse to put down their cell phones for a given moment of time. Many drivers refuse to acknowledge that cell phone use in particular is dangerous to do while behind the wheel of the car.
It isn’t until drivers understand the risks associated it their actions that they will make a change. It is for this reason that the states are so adamant on funding education programs, so that they can change the minds of drivers through knowledge.
At this point, many state governments have deemed distracted driving as a “priority issue” that needs addressing immediately in our country, and 39 states including Washington D.C. have issued this. Currently there are 47 states which have placed some form of law against distracted driving, 41 of which entirely have banned texting while driving specifically.
However, there are still no states which altogether ban cell phone usage in the car, though this may be a possibility in the coming years if statistics don’t change. Law enforcement officials in every state are committed to upholding the laws against distracted driving, especially since 2010 when it became an even bigger issue.
If you or a loved one have been harmed in a distracted driving car accident, please do not hesitate in contacting your local Raleigh personal injury lawyer at the Whitley Law Firm. We will fight for you, call us now for more information!