Teenagers, in particular, are vulnerable to giving in to distracted driving when it comes to using their phones. Teens are used to texting and used to having their phones on them at all times as well as having audio notifications for various apps and purposes. The stream of communication can be extremely tempting while on the road. Unfortunately, teens are very at risk for getting into serious accidents that cause injury or death as a result of using their phone while driving.
If you or someone you know have caused an accident or been in an accident as a result of phone usage while driving, contact an experienced car accident attorney. Besides that, read on to find out more about how texting and driving and using the phone, in general, is causing more deaths among teens in the U.S. than ever.
Texting and driving is causing more injuries and deaths than ever among American teenagers, according to a study done by the Cohen Children’s Medical Center.
The study concluded that distracted driving has surpassed drinking as the cause of the majority of distracted driving deaths. Over three thousand teens will die every year in accidents directly caused by texting while they are driving. The medical center stated that over half of teens have admitted to receiving or sending messages by text while they were driving.
Another study by Virginia Tech concluded drivers are 23 times more likely to be in an accident if texting and driving. Another survey done found that over seventy percent acknowledged that texting while driving is wrong, but forty-five percent said of that number that they had done the practice they consider dangerous. Up to ninety-five percent of those answering that they texted while driving said they had done so while alone. Roughly a third said they had done it while with parents and friends.
Many teens said that they had also posted to social media while driving, and a whopping seventy-five percent said they watched videos while alone while driving.
At the end of the day, texting is not worth your life. Although this trend is starting with teens, it’s not uncommon to see adults texting away or chatting vivaciously on the phone while driving. They too are causing accidents, but it’s particularly rampant among teens. One problem may be that teens may feel like they are immortal and take more drastic risks, whereas an adult may assess the situation and use their wisdom and impulse control, which is at its lowest during teenage years.
Bottom line– texting while driving is dangerous. You risk your life and you risk the lives of others. It’s killing thousands of teens and adults every year needlessly, and you could be next. Don’t be part of the problem and don’t put up with it while riding in the car! Just because you’re driving doesn’t mean you’re not immune.
If you live in the Orlando area and have been involved in an accident while texting and driving, contact The Law Offices of Payas, Payas, and Payas today for a consultation and see what options are open to you.
