We all know that texting and driving is dangerous. But many Bay Area drivers do it anyway. Here and around the country, drivers distracted by their phones continue to cause violent car accidents that kill and severely injure innocent people.
Grim statistics from NHTSA
Data from the National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows how much of a public safety hazard texting and driving still is. In 2019, 996 people were killed in collisions with texting drivers. This includes drivers and passengers as well as bicyclists, pedestrians and others. Of these, 430 were drivers and passengers. The next year, the total dropped to 396, perhaps due to lockdowns reducing traffic for most of 2020.
These fatalities represent 13 percent of the total deadly distracted driving accidents and 9 percent of distracted driving wrecks overall. If Americans stopped texting and driving today, thousands of people would be spared serious injury, and hundreds would not die. California was one of the first states to ban texting and driving, and almost every other state has followed suit. But catching drivers in the act can be difficult for police, especially in places where texting while driving is not a primary offense, i.e., something the police can pull you over for.
The consequences of a distracted driver’s negligence
Most of us respect the safety of ourselves, our passengers and others on the road by keeping our phones out of our hands while driving. But even the most careful motorist could find themselves in the path of a distracted driver without time or room to react. The resulting injuries could take away your ability to work, support your family, and enjoy your favorite hobbies.
