Is the distracted driver the new drunk driver? A Portland car accident lawyer will tell you that it’s is not as wild a notion as you might think. Several recent studies suggest that a driver distracted by text messaging, for example, has impaired reaction time similar to that of a drunk driver.
In Oregon and nationwide, the anti-drunk driving crusades commenced in the 1980’s, spear-headed by groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Those groups attempted to raise public awareness of a problem that had long been swept under the rug. The dangers of drunk driving were publicized everywhere, but in particular to our nation’s youth.
That is exactly what is happening now with distracted drivers. By far the most widely used accessory in the Gadget Age is the cell phone. It should be no surprise then that the cell phone is what causes most distracted driving car accidents on the streets of Portland or Salem, Oregon or even more rural towns on the Oregon Coast or Central Oregon.
In particular, text messaging and driving is an incredibly dangerous proposition. The biggest offenders? Teenagers. Just like in the crusade against drunk driving, those who are attempting to raise awareness are starting by educating the children.
For example, the American Automobile Association and the United States Department of Transportation teamed up last year to promote ‘National Two Second Turn Off Day.’ The event asked young drivers nationwide to turn off their cell phones and other wireless devices before getting behind the wheel and leave them off each time they drove for an entire day.
Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers who drive. Studies show that 86 percent of teen drivers admit that they’ve been a distracted driver and nearly the exact same amount know it’s dangerous. The DOT released some scary statistics with the announcement of Turn Off Day:
- 60 percent of teen drivers surveyed talk on their cell phone while driving and nearly 30 percent text and drive.
- Those who reported texting and driving reported sending an average of 23 texts while driving in the last month.
- 36 percent of teen drivers believe that they have been in a car crash or a near car wreck because of someone else’s driving.
Just like with the drunk driving prevention campaigns of the 80’s and 90’s, the legislature is starting to open its eyes to the problem. Many states have passed ‘hands-free’ laws prohibiting talking on a cell phone and driving. Oregon followed suit last year.
Distracted driving is just like drunk driving in one other critical respect: It can subject the driver to liability for the injuries they cause others. That is, distracted drivers can be held accountable by the legislature—which can cause them to get tickets from police officers—and by the courts—resulting in sometimes large money judgments when they cause serious personal injuries or wrongful death.