Younger passengers unlikely to discourage distracted drivers

Posted on April 17, 2012

Passengers can affect the texting behavior of drivers, safety experts suggest. Stating their objections to the driver’s distracted practices or offering to help navigate or operate the driver’s cell phone can impact the driver’s ability to safely operate the vehicle. According to recent research, drivers under the age of twenty are the least likely demographic to discourage a driver from sending or receiving text messages from behind the wheel. Research compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggests that drivers from this age group are most likely to be involved in collisions and near-misses due to the distraction caused by a handheld communication device. They are also three times as likely to report having been looking at their cell phones at the time of the accident. Motorists under the age of 25 are twice to three times as likely to send texts or place phone calls on a handheld communication device while driving.

While 90 percent of drivers polled said they consider sending text messages or reading emails is risky behavior behind the wheel, only about 33 percent of passengers younger than the age of 25 say they would say something to discourage a driver from text messaging while behind the wheel.

As a Los Angeles personal injury attorney, I have seen the damage that drivers can cause to themselves and others when they take their eyes off the road. If you have been involved in an accident with a distracted driver, please consider contacting a Los Angeles car accident lawyer.

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