We all know it’s not smart to talk on our cell phones while driving. Whether we’re talking or texting, cell phones are one of the leading causes of car crash incidents nationwide. We see the laws getting stricter every year.
No matter where you live in this country, there are laws prohibiting texting and driving. First, they required us to use hands-free devices. Now there are even laws limiting how much we can use these. This is because distracted driving is on the rise rather than the decline.
Common sense dictates that if we’re using our cell phones, we can’t possibly be paying enough attention to the road. We know it makes more sense to wait until we get where we’re going to use our phones, we all do it. Over 80% of all drivers have admitted to using their phones while they’re driving. It seems to be human nature.
But, do you really know how dangerous it is to use your cell phone while driving? Douglasville car crash attorneys do!
Douglasville Car Crash Lawyers Know How Dangerous Cell Phones Can Be
We all know not to text and drive. How many times have you looked up while in the middle of texting and realize you almost rear-ended someone? Probably more than you’d like to admit.
If you’re texting while driving, you are 24 times more likely to get into a car crash. 24 times! That is a staggering statistic. Yet, people still aren’t deterred from doing it. Police issues thousands of tickets every year for people who are texting and driving.
The same is true for talking on the phone while driving. Although not quite as dangerous as texting and driving, talking on the phone is a huge distraction. This is because our brains are simply not able to commit 100% to two things at once.
Studies have found that even if you’re using a hands-free device, talking on the phone is still a big distraction. Remember we talked about the three types of distractions? Well, talking on a phone does all three.
If you’re talking on a phone, you’re distracted in the following ways:
- Manually – you are holding a phone and physically pushing buttons.
- Visually – You’re going to look at your phone to see who’s calling
- Cognitive – if you’re focused on your conversation you can’t possibly be focusing on the road
These are all reasons why it’s so dangerous to use your phone while driving.
Douglasville Car Accident Attorneys Know the Statistics
Despite all the efforts to curb texting and driving, people still do it. In fact, accidents involving cell phones have increased in Georgia by 30% between 2014 and 2017. To put this into perspective, over 1,500 people died in just two years due to distracted driving. Most of these cases involved cell phones.
Not only are these statistics staggering – they also underestimate the problem. The only cases where police can prove that someone was distracted are those involving cell phones. Imagine how high these numbers would be if they could prove how many were caused by other sorts of distractions?
Cell phones are great for many things. However, if not used responsibly, they can be lethal weapons. No matter how stiff the penalties are for texting and driving, people still do it. Part of the problem is that most laws only assess fines – they don’t really impact the offender in any other way.
This is why Georgia has recently changed its cell phone laws. Now, it is illegal to text at all while driving. If you’re caught doing it, you’ll be fined $150. However, you’ll also get 1 point against your driver’s license. This impacts your insurance rates. It also costs you surcharges with the DMV. Georgia hopes that this stricter law will cut down on cell phone accidents.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer in Douglasville Today
If you’ve been injured in a texting and driving accident, you need to call a car accident lawyer in Douglasville today. Your lawyer will review your case and let you know what it may be worth. He can answer any questions you may have and let you know how the legal process works.
Call and schedule your initial consultation. It will cost you nothing and you pay nothing until you settle your case. The other driver will have attorneys working for him and so should you!
