April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. At the Tenge Law Firm, we want to take this opportunity to remind you of the serious consequences associated with this dangerous action. It’s crucial that you do your part to limit distractions while you’re driving so that you can focus your full attention on the road.
Cell phone use while driving is probably the most common distraction impacting drivers today. Talking on your cell phone may not seem like a big distraction, but it takes one hand off of the wheel and diverts your attention from the road to your phone call. Texting while driving is significantly more dangerous. Studies have demonstrated that drivers take their eyes off the road for an average of 5 seconds at a time while texting. At highway speeds, that’s enough time to travel the length of a football field.
However, it’s important to understand that talking and texting while driving aren’t the only distractions that can increase your risk of a car accident. Other common distractions to avoid while driving include:
- Adjusting a GPS device
- Fidgeting with portable electronic devices such as an iPod
- Eating or drinking
- Brushing your hair, applying makeup, and similar grooming tasks
- Reading a map
- Talking with other passengers
- Tending to children in the back seat of the car
- Looking at objects on the side of the road (“rubbernecking”)
The consequences associated with distracted driving can be catastrophic. When you take your attention away from the road, you’re more likely to veer into another lane, fail to see another vehicle that’s in your blind spot, or miss hazards on the road. In addition, your reaction time will be significantly slower in the event that another driver acts recklessly. All of these issues significantly increase your risk of a car accident, and often the injuries in these collisions can be life-altering.
Distracted driving kills thousands of people a year, and hundreds of thousands of others suffer serious injuries. If you’ve been injured in a car accident caused by a distracted driver in the Denver area, the Tenge Law Firm can help. Mr. Tenge will fight aggressively to hold the negligent driver accountable so that you recover the compensation you deserve.
Please contact the Tenge Law Firm using the form at the top of the page or call 303-566-4068 today to schedule your free car accident consultation. Mr. Tenge serves clients from his offices in Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins, Colorado.