Distracted Driving Facts and Figures

Distracted driving has come to be a significant factor contributing to traffic accidents throughout the U.S. and internationally. This phenomenon occurs when drivers remove their full attention from the task of driving and may involve distractions due to texting and cell phone usage, other devices such as radios, CD players, MP3 players, and GPS devices, or distractions such as talking to or dealing with other passengers, reading maps, eating or drinking, applying makeup, combing one's hair, and other activities. Many drivers consider the activity of driving to be one which does not require 100 percent of their attention; unfortunately, this can result in lapses of attention which can lead to accidents, injuries, and traffic fatalities.

In a study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute on long-haul truckers, driver distraction was researched over an 18-month period with video cameras installed in the truckers' cabs. The study found that the risk of being involved in a traffic accident was 23 times higher when the truckers were texting. The time a driver took his eyes away from the road while texting was also calculated; the typical time a driver was distracted before a traffic crash or near crash was five seconds. At average highway speeds, this is enough time to travel the distance of a football field. Researchers found that it made little difference whether drivers used a hands-free or hand-held device. It is the fact of having attention pulled away from the road and the task of driving that raises the risk of driver-distraction accidents.

Car Accident Injury Firm in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Unfortunately, traffic collisions resulting in injury and death comprise the majority of injury claims in Florida as well as the rest of the nation. The large majority of these cases require victims to deal with insurance carriers, who often are reluctant to fully compensate them for all of the losses and damages they sustain. Injury victims who are represented by aggressive and skilled attorneys generally fare better in obtaining fair and just compensation through claims and lawsuits. That is why, if you are injured in a traffic accident in the greater Fort Lauderdale area, you should consult with an attorney from Weinstein & Scharf, P.A.

The firm's attorneys have decades of courtroom experience; they know how to fight for the maximum compensation to which you are entitled and how to protect you from having to settle for less than you deserve. With more than 65 years of combined legal experience, the legal team has accumulated a wealth of practical know-how and has achieved many case wins. Contact the firm for a free case consultation to discuss your accident and injuries with one of the firm's accomplished personal injury lawyers today.