By now most people know that both public and private entities in California and throughout the nation have been attempting to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving for the last few years. There is no doubting that these are important efforts, as smart-phones and other electronic devices have become such a crucial part of people’s lives. These devices are obviously immensely helpful, but they can also be dangerous if they are used while a person is operating a motor vehicle.
In particular, the official U.S. government website for distracted driving has noted that drivers who are in the age range of 20 to 29 may have a disturbingly high rate of using the cellphones while driving. Statistics provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration point out that of all of the drivers nationwide who have died in fatal car crashes caused by distraction due to cellphone use, a whopping 38 percent come from the 20 to 29 age range.
Another startling statistics shows that at any particular time throughout the country an estimated 600,000 drivers are actively using their cellphones or some other electronic device while driving. The use could be anything from texting and driving to Internet use to keying in navigation commands.
Many drivers in California have probably engaged in this type of distracted driving at some point in time — although they may not admit it. Unfortunately, awareness efforts regarding distracted driving will need to continue, because there are always drivers out there who may be using their cellphones at the wrong moment, leading to a fatal car accident.
Source: distraction.gov, “Facts and Statistics,” Accessed Aug. 7, 2016
