New Research Says Distracted Drivers Can Cause Injuries to First Responders on the Road
When we mean most distracted driving accidents, we frequently think nigh unmarried-motorcar crashes with buildings or fixtures involving the vehicle driven by the distracted driver, accidents alongside other motor vehicles on the route, or collisions amongst pedestrians that are attempting to cross the street. Yet distracted driving tin too be the cause of other types of motor vehicle accidents.
According to a recent report from CBS News, distracted driving is a major movement of injuries to offset responders who arrive to assist accident victims on the side of the road. Collisions involving distracted drivers too emergency vehicles are not discussed enough, according to novel enquiry.The report discusses novel research conducted past the National Safety Council (NSC), which determined that “many drivers are profoundly distracted past their phones when they’re going by first responders working accidents on the roadways.”
Indeed, more than than seventy% of drivers surveyed equally role of the recent research “admitted to taking photos in addition to texting while driving past emergency workers.” That issue is virtually iii times the total of drivers who admitted to texting or taking photos when they were not driving past an emergency worker on the side of the route. Of those drivers surveyed, more than than lxx% admit to photographing the emergency scene or texting individual else near it, and well-nigh threescore% “admitted to posting to social media.” Approximately 66% of drivers reported that they had “emailed almost what they’re driving past.”
When motorists are distracted past machine crashes together with emergency workers, those emergency workers can finish upwards suffering serious and fatal injuries. In 2018 lonely, forty starting time responders suffered fatal injuries in collisions alongside motor vehicles. In the outset of 2019, 21 emergency workers sustained fatal injuries inward collisions.
Based on the drivers surveyed for the NSC enquiry, xvi% “enjoin they’ve struck or well-nigh struck an emergency vehicle or commencement responder on the side of the road.” Distracted driving about emergency workers is extremely unsafe, in addition to motorists take to understand that they enhance the run a risk of collisions amongst get-go responders when they accept out their phones. Whenever you lot approach or cause by an emergency scene or a first responder, it is vital to avoid any distractions that could event inwards an accident together with injuries.
Tips for Avoiding Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is a serious job. The following are tips from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety for avoiding distracted driving accidents:
- Actively focus on driving;
- Do non accept any possessions liberate or inwards attain spell you are driving and then that you lot will live less likely to achieve for these items as well as lose focus on the route;
- Make any necessary adjustments to seats, mirrors, GPS, and the radio earlier you start driving;
- Safely secure whatever children according to condom standards, too pull over before yous attend to a child inwards the motorcar;
- Do non use your cell phone while y'all are driving, fifty-fifty if y'all accept a hands-costless option;
- Ask passengers to assist you lot focus on the route in addition to enquire them to avoid distracting you lot while yous are driving;
- If another task in the automobile requires your attention, force over earlier y'all attend to it; and
- When y'all cannot devote your consummate attending to driving, draw over until yous tin can make and so.
If yous or soul yous beloved was injured in a collision caused by a distracted driver, y'all should verbalise with a car accident attorney well-nigh your case.
