Our latest research finds that nearly 6,000 people died last year in crashes involving a distracted or inattentive driver, and more than half a million were injured. On any given day last year, more than 800,000 vehicles were driven by someone using a handheld cell phone during the day. The worst offenders are the youngest, least experienced drivers – men and women under 20. Teenage drivers, in particular, are already at greater risk for getting into an accident than other drivers.
On top of that, the research shows that teen drivers are likelier to sustain severe injuries in a crash if they’re distracted by a cell phone. Across the board, federal researchers who have directly observed drivers of all ages found that more and more people are using a variety of hand-held devices while driving – not just cell phones, but also iPods, video games, Blackberrys, and so forth. They’re doing it every day of the week, in the rain, and with kids in the car.
And we know this problem isn’t limited to private citizens. Incredibly, bus drivers, train operators, truck drivers, and even school bus drivers have allowed distractions to interfere with their work. A year ago, a commuter train engineer in Chatsworth, California was so busy texting a friend that he failed to stop at a red signal. He caused one of the worst passenger rail accidents in years, killing 25 people and injuring 135 more. In July, a 25 year-old tow truck driver in upstate New York was texting and talking. He crashed through a fence, side-swiped a house, landed in a swimming pool, and injured his passenger.
Source: Ray Layhood
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