April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Last year, over 45,700 motor vehicle accidents in Florida were caused by distracted driving. Those accidents resulted in over 39,000 injuries and more than 200 deaths. Car crashes caused by distracted driving made up 12.2 percent of all accidents in Florida last year, and accounted for 7.4 percent of all deadly crashes and 15.4 percent of crashes resulting in injury.

A driving distraction is anything that takes your eyes, hands and/or mind off the task of driving. Texting is one of the most dangerous forms of distraction because it involves all three functions: seeing, using your hands and thinking.

We all know texting qualifies as distracted driving, but you may not have realized how distracting these other behaviors can be when you are behind the wheel:

• Talking on your phone
• Applying makeup or other cosmetics
• Adjusting the radio or other audio device
• Comforting or otherwise tending to children in the back seat
• Viewing an accident or some other event happening outside your vehicle
• Eating
• Driving drowsy
• Loud and heated interactions with passengers
• Daydreaming

Take the opportunity this month to pledge never to drive distracted. Do everything you can to eliminate distractions, such as turning your cell phone off or utilizing your vehicle’s Bluetooth so you can take calls hands-free. Make sure you have performed all personal grooming before you start your car, and take the extra time to ensure you are well-rested and well-fed before you drive. Taking a little extra time to make sure you are ready to perform the tasks of driving could save your life as well as the lives of your passengers and other people on the road.

Please spread this safety and awareness message on Facebook and Twitter using #FocusOnDrivingFL.

 

You deserve compensation if you have been injured in an accident in Florida. For a free case evaluation, please call Kogan & DiSalvo Personal Injury Attorneys. We are proud to serve Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Lakeland, Palm Bay, St. Petersburg, Stuart, Tampa, Vero Beach, and West Palm Beach, and all of the surrounding areas.