There has been a vast amount of money spent developing devices that are supposed to make our lives more convenient and more secure, but as the old saying goes, there is nothing free in this world and the very technology that makes our lives so much more livable may also be one of the biggest contributors to placing it in danger.
Even before the advent of cell phones and texting, young drivers were being warned of the dangers of distracted driving. In my time, yes, I’m that old, it was warnings about adjusting the radio or eating while behind the wheel.
Now it is; don’t text, talk, program your GPS, etc, but the truth is, anything that takes your eyes off the road and your mind off your driving, makes you a danger to yourself and those you share the road with.
Distracted Driving By the Numbers
Let’s consider a few numbers that you may not have thought about.
Cell Phone Walking Accidents
53% of all adults have had a walking cell phone incident. Meaning they have either bumped into something or someone while distracted by their cell or been bumped into by someone using a mobile. That is at walking speeds.
The average adult walks at about 3 mph. They say the average text message takes about 5 seconds or the time it takes the average walker to cover about 22 feet. Being distracted for only 22 feet has caused over half of all adults to suffer a walking accident.
Texting Behind the Wheel
Now let’s get off our feet and on the road. According to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Department the average highway driving speed, in our state, is 65 mph.
At this speed, staying with our same 5-second texting window, you will have traveled 477 feet or roughly 160 yards. That is a football field and a half, including the end zones.
How much can happen in that distance, at those speeds? The answer is a lot and very little of it good.
What I See Every Day
One of the advantages of riding a motorcycle is that it makes it very easy to observe other drivers. It is also one of the things that make riding a scary experience, at times. Despite it being illegal in Florida, every day I see people talking and texting while driving.
Beyond that, especially in the mornings, I see people eating, putting on makeup, changing clothes, screaming at their kids and performing a host of other activities that should have been taken care of before they got on the road or waited till they got where they were going.
As a Personal Injury Attorney specializing in motorcycle accidents, I know the most commonly heard quote, at the scene of an accident involving a motorcycle, is the ‘cage driver’ crying, “I never saw him.”
More often than not, it is because the driver of the four-wheeler has allowed themselves to be distracted and became inattentive in some way. They are almost always sorry, but that doesn’t help the biker or mitigate their responsibility.
If you think this has happened to you, contact Sinclair Law in Melbourne, Florida and let us see how we can help you.