Around 1 out of 4 car accidents in the United States are caused by someone texting while they are driving. There is more to it than just this though. As your New Jersey car accident lawyer, I want you to understand how you can best avoid collisions while you are on the road.
Pros
Perhaps the biggest benefit of having technology close by is the fact that you can easily call an ambulance. Accidents happen, with or without technology. When you leave your phone at home, you are opening yourself up to a whole host of possibilities. If you strike a deer or a tree, you might not have anyone to call emergency services for you.
Having a phone close by means that you are taken care of when there is no one else around you. In addition to calling the ambulance, you will also be able to call a loved one so that you can let them know what is going on.
Many people use their phones to help them navigate. The phone can direct you through its speaker. You do not even have to look at the phone if you do not want to. This can be far safer than consulting a map every so often. In addition, you can set it to avoid the unsafe parts of town.
Cons
There is a very strong correlation between distracted driving and getting into a car wreck. There are three different types of distractions while you are driving: manual, visual, and cognitive. Manual distractions mean that your hands are taken off the wheel. Visual distractions take your eyes off the road. Cognitive distractions take your mind off the road.
All of these can severely limit your capacity to use your vehicle safely. The chances of you crashing for any reason are increased 23 times while you are texting. Even when the crash is not necessarily your fault, there are many situations where you could have avoided a crash had you been practicing defensive driving.
When you use technology and drive, the amount of time that you spend with your eyes off the road increases by almost 400%. You do not know what is happening if you are looking at your phone.
The speed limit for Interstate 280 is 65 mph. If you take your eyes off the road for as little as 5 seconds while you are traveling at that speed, you can go the length of an entire football field. Anything can happen while you go this distance. When you get into a collision while going that fast, serious injuries are almost a sure thing.
The state of New Jersey has banned texting while driving. You can run into legal trouble if a cop sees you texting while driving.
Distracted driving can be as bad as drunk driving. In 2015, it caused more injuries than drunk driving. The number of distracted driving deaths has increased since 2010. Every single day, distracted driving causes 9 fatalities. You do not have to be the next one.
We recommend using technology as sparingly as possible while you operate a motor vehicle. Do not text and drive. Do not look at your Facebook feed and drive. Do not scroll through Yelp reviews and drive. If you must use your phone, try to do so in a hands-free way.
If you have been in a car wreck, James DeZao can be your New Jersey car accident lawyer. He is a selfless, smart, and strong lawyer who can fight for you today. Call us today for more information.