According to the CDC, everyday in the United States approximately 8 people are killed and 1,161 injured due to a distracted driver. Often, this distraction is a cell phone. Whether it’s texting, dialing or chatting on the phone, cars and cell phones can be a deadly combination. Anytime throughout the day, over 660,000 people are trying to use their phones while driving. It is a staggering number.
The National Safety Council says that one out of four accidents are due to cell phone distraction. In fact, texting while driving is six times more likely to cause an accident than driving drunk. All people are subject to this type of distraction, but unfortunately teenagers often lose their lives because of this.
Have you ever been driving and noticed that someone wasn’t paying attention behind the wheel, but rather to their phone? This can be a very scary sight!
Currently, there is no national ban on cell phone use while driving, but many states have passed laws banning texting or wireless cell phone use. Check this website for information regarding such bans in your state.
If you have an emergency where you must send a text or call someone, pull over instead of trying to drive and use the phone at the same time.
Read further to learn about another deadly epidemic that is affecting the safety of driving on our roads – drug use.