Some law enforcement officers have resorted to creative methods to catch distracted drivers. According to WLOS ABC News Channel 13, police officers in Marietta, Georgia are now dressing as construction workers at busy intersections to catch drivers who are texting and tweeting behind the wheel. The construction crew outfits gave police officers the ability to move through the intersections and glance into cars and trucks. It hasn’t been easy for law enforcement officers to enforce texting-while-driving bans in the past, because it is so difficult to see what’s actually going on in the driver’s seat. This unconventional method allowed officers to see what was going on inside of vehicles.
Distracted Driving Statistics
- In 2013, 3,154 people were killed in distracted driving crashes across the nation.
- Approximately 424,000 people were injured in distracted driving wrecks in 2013.
- 10 percent of drivers under the age of 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crash.
- Drivers in their 20s make up 27 percent of the distracted drivers in fatal wrecks.
- A quarter of teens respond to a text message once or more every time they drive.
The Dangers of Distracted Driving
Distracted driving has become a dangerous and fatal epidemic in North Carolina and across the country. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that the average amount of time your eyes are off the road when texting is five seconds. That may not sound like very long, but if you’re going 55 miles per hour, that’s the equivalent of driving the length of a football field completely blindfolded. Some studies have shown that distracted drivers have even slower reaction times than alcohol-impaired drivers.
After a Distracted Driving Accident in Asheville
Cases of distracted driving aren’t always immediately apparent in accident reports. If you suspect a distracted driver caused your accident, you need to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible about your case. If you have been injured or if you have lost a loved one in a distracted driving accident in Asheville or the surrounding communities, contact the skilled legal team at Davis Law Group, P.A. at 888-773-8388 for a free consultation today.