Dangers of “Distraction Driving”

In a blog of a few days ago we wrote about the dangers of “distraction driving.” Statistics have been released from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration indicating that many people across the United States are being injured on a daily basis as a result of the use of cell phones and texting devices. Obviously, when using these devices, the driver is “distracted” and the more distracted the driver the less safe the driver. Regrettably, the State of Georgia has yet to enact a ban on distraction driving.
The good news is that the United States government has now barred interstate truckers and bus drivers from sending text messages while behind the wheel. According to the United States Transportation Secretary, enactment of the federal ban on texting while driving for truck drivers “is an important safety step, and we will be taking more to eliminate the threat of distracted driving.”
The government’s announcement followed a study released in July by Virginia Tech’s Transportation Institute which found that when truckers text they are 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash or near miss situation than otherwise. Last year, President Obama banned federal employees from texting while driving government vehicles and from texting in their own cars if they used government issued phones or were on official business. Again, these are all steps in the right direction. One day, we hope that the Georgia Legislature will enact similar prohibitions on distraction driving so that the citizens of the State of Georgia will be protected from the dangers of “distraction driving.”