Approximately 448,000 people were injured on U.S. streets and highways in automobile collisions that were linked distracted driving in 2009, according to data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and another 5,474 people were killed. One Ohio man is convinced his 35-year-old son was killed one year earlier in a similar incident, based on driver cell phone records. Since his son’s death, this man is determined to warn others of the risks associated with distracted driving.
With assistance from a non-profit organization called FocusDriven, which promotes laws and informational programs designed to eliminate cellphone use while driving, he delivers a Power Point presentation on the serious dangers of inattentive driving to high school students and inmates at correctional facilities. The presentation culminates in a request to sign a pledge to abstain from distracted driving, which includes adjusting the stereo, selecting music on an MP3 player, programming a GPS navigation system, eating food and drinking liquids, and especially sending text messages or talking on a cell phone while driving.
The presentation includes a video documenting the lives of four distracted driving victims.
The percentage of drivers distracted at the time of a deadly auto collision increased from 7 percent in 2005 to 11 percent in 2009, according to data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
As a Bakersfield car accident attorney, I am well aware of the damage caused by inattentive driving. If you have been injured in an accident linked to distracted driving, please consider contacting a Fresno car accident lawyer.