Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Written by Malman Law, reviewed by Steve J. Malman.

Resulting in more than 3,000 deaths and nearly half a million injuries each year, distracted driving is an epidemic that needs to be addressed. With teens and adults alike talking, texting, and engaging in other activities behind the wheel, it is time to take action and curb this common cause of unnecessary accidents.

To help spread the word about the dangers of distracted driving, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has designated April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month. While drivers need to avoid distractions 365 days a year, putting emphasis on this important cause during the month of April allows NHTSA and members of the community to make a targeted effort to promote driver safety.

How You Can Get Involved

At Malman Law, we are passionate about raising awareness of the risks presented when drivers take their eyes and minds off of the road. Distracted drivers are not only endangering themselves, but also their passengers, occupants of other vehicles, and bicycle riders and pedestrians. As personal injury lawyers who regularly represent victims of vehicle collisions, this is an issue that his extremely close to home.

As a result, we are proud to help spread the word about Distracted Driving Awareness Month. If you’d like to get involved, here are three things you can do as well:

• Never text and drive. Texting behind the wheel is extremely dangerous. Not only are you not paying attention to the road and your surroundings, but your hands aren’t even on the wheel! If you’re driving on the highway, in the time it takes to send a single text message you will have driven the length of an entire football field.
• Prepare for your trip. Eating, drinking, grooming, looking at maps, setting your GPS, and adjusting your music selection are all forms of distracted driving. How do you avoid doing these in the car? Do them before you go! If you prepare for your trip and spend a few minutes setting your GPS and picking out your music before you shift into drive, you will have many fewer distractions interfering with your driving. If you are on a long trip, take a break when you need to fuel up or make adjustments.
• Talk to your friends and family and take a safe driving pledge. Distracted Driving Awareness Month is the perfect time to talk to your family about the risks of distracted driving. Even if your spouse and children are safe drivers, it doesn’t hurt to reinforce the message. Your talk may inspire them to talk to their friends about safe driving as well. NHTSA also has a pledge form on its website that your family members can sign.

“One text or call could wreck it all.” That is NHTSA’s motto for 2015 Distracted Driving Awareness Month. By staying focused on the road and avoiding distractions, you can help protect yourself, your friends, and your family from dangerous vehicle accidents.

Contact Attorney Steven J. Malman for More Information

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured by a distracted driver in Illinois, Malman Law can help. Contact us online to learn more.