What Is Considered Distracted Driving?

Per the Distraction.gov website, distracted driving is anything that could pull a driver’s attention away from the act of driving. Distracted driving endangers not only the driver, but the safety of their passengers and pedestrians nearby. Lately, texting has been most commonly associated with distracted driving, but fiddling with your radio or operating a GPS are also distractions. Texting is the most dangerous practice, as texting involves all three distraction types listed by Distraction.gov:

Visual Distractions: Taking your eyes off the road
Manual Distractions: Taking your hands off the steering wheel
Cognitive Distractions: Taking your mind off your driving

Distracted Driving a National Problem

Approximately 9 people are killed and more than 1,153 are injured because of a distraction-related accident in the U.S. each day. One thing to consider about these statistics is the fact that these are only the reported accidents – many accidents go unreported, or drivers tell a different story after the accident to protect themselves. Unfortunately, the numbers are continuing to climb over the last few years.

Local Police Looking For Distracted Drivers

In a recent interview by WICU, Lt. Sebulak of the Millcreek Police Department was asked to explain the dangers of distracted driving. He recited the three distractions listed by Distraction.gov almost verbatim. He went on to say that, since it’s still legal to talk on your cell phone while driving, the local police have to be aware of other indicators to find distracted drivers. Police in Erie and Millcreek are looking for drivers who are veering in their lanes, slamming on their brakes, or driving erratically.

Young Drivers Especially Vulnerable to Distracted Driving

Teenagers and other younger drivers are, by nature, less experienced. They simply haven’t been driving that long yet to have the experience of older drivers. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) analyzed data of young drivers in 2011 and the findings were telling:

Of drivers between the ages of 18 and 24, 69% admitted to using their cell phone while driving within 30 days of the survey
Of drivers between the ages of 18 and 64, 31% admitted to reading or sending a text message within 30 days of the survey
Nearly 50% of high school students (age 16 or older) say that they text while driving
Drivers under 20 years of age compile the largest group of drivers involved in fatal distracted driving accidents

Injured In A Distracted Driving Accident? We Can Help

If you or a loved one is injured in a car accident, regardless of whether or not distracted driving was involved, contact us for a free consultation about your case. We can help you get reimbursement for medical bills, property damages, lost wages and pain & suffering. Before signing anything from an insurance adjuster, get your Free Consultation from one of our experienced Pennsylvania car accident attorneys.