Recently, a teenager in Winnipeg, Canada, was sentenced for an auto accident that she caused in 2010. In the crash, two people in another vehicle were killed, two were seriously injured, and one person had suffered minor injuries. At the time, the negligent driver was 17 years old, when she ran a red light on Bishop Grandin Boulevard. According to the Guardian, the judge said that the teen's ability to drive was impaired by alcohol, as well as her texting on her Blackberry. At the time of the accident, she was traveling 96 km/hr, while the speed limit was 80 km/hr, she was using cruise control on her vehicle, and there was no evidence of her attempting to brake or swerve out of the way to avoid the collision.
People that text and drive are considered impaired drivers. Drivers becoming distracted from using their cell phones is something that you see everyday on the road, including holding up traffic and not realizing the light is green, as well as switching lanes without using turn signals, both of which can cause car accidents.
According to Texting and Driving Safety, in 2011, at least 23% of auto collisions involved cell phones, which is 1.3 million crashes. On average, the minimum amount of time your attention is taken away from the road when texting and driving is five seconds. If you're traveling at 55mph, that five seconds of driving would be equivalent to driving the length of an entire football field without looking. Through research conducted by Texting and Driving Safety, they found that 34% of teenagers have texting while driving. In addition to this, 52% have admitted to talking on the phone while driving. Although teenagers are involved in many accidents regarding impaired driving, adults do it too. 48% of young drivers have seen their parents talking on the phone while driving. Waiting to return a phone call or text can save lives on the road. Next time you need to reach someone while driving, wait until you stop for break, or wait until you reach your destination.
If you are involved in a car crash involving impaired driving or texting and driving, call The Michigan Law Firm, PLLC. Our accident attorneys are experienced in handling all types of car accident cases. Call 844.4MI.FIRM for a free consultation today.