April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and at William Mattar law offices, we are spreading awareness about the dangers of distracted driving and how to prevent it. Distracted driving – which includes any activity that takes your attention away from driving – results in thousands of motor vehicle accident injuries and fatalities each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about eight people in the U.S. are killed in distracted driving crashes every day.
Throughout April, we will share helpful tips on social media and our blog about preventing distractions behind the wheel. Good driving habits start at a young age, and by raising distracted driving awareness, we encourage young drivers to make life-saving decisions, creating safer roadways for everyone.
William Mattar’s Drive Distracted, Lives Impacted Program
High school principals, guidance counselors, and administrators, you can request our team present at your pre-prom assembly or other safety assembly during the year. The William Mattar’s Drive Distracted, Lives Impacted program is also offered in a virtual format to local high school classrooms – free of charge!
Our trial attorneys will give a virtual presentation that educates students on good driving habits and ways to prevent distracted driving. We will discuss the sobering statistics surrounding accidents caused by distracted drivers and offer simple solutions that teen drivers can apply immediately to help curb distracted driving.
By the end of the presentation, we hope that students will change their mindset towards distracted driving and fully understand the dangers and consequences of their actions on the road. Educating students on good driving habits will help young drivers make life-saving decisions and create safer roadways for everyone.
At the end of each high school presentation, our trial attorneys ask the students to pledge not to drive distracted. This pledge reminds each young driver and their friends to stay focused and alert every time they get behind the wheel.
Bring William Mattar’s Drive Distracted, Lives Impacted program to your high school:
If you are interested in bringing William Mattar’s Drive Distracted, Lives Impacted program to your high school free of charge, contact Brittany today at (844) 444 - 4444 or email brittany@williammattar.com to learn more. Virtual presentations can be conducted via Microsoft Teams or Zoom.
What is Distracted Driving?
Distracted driving is any activity that takes your attention off driving. There are three types of driver distraction: visual, manual, and cognitive. Visual distraction is taking your eyes off the road. Manual distraction is taking your hands off the wheel. Mental (or cognitive) distraction is taking your mind off driving. These types of distractions can occur at the same time, which is referred to as “combination distractions.”
Examples of distracted driving include:
Eating and/or drinking;
Texting or talking on a cell phone;
Changing the radio station;
Using a GPS device;
Talking with passengers; and
Grooming yourself (applying makeup, doing your hair, or changing clothes).
Out of all these distractions, texting is the most alarming. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for at least five seconds. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), at 55 mph, that's like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.
Young drivers tend to pick up bad driving habits from their parents and/or older siblings. For parents, it is crucial to lead by example and never drive distracted, especially with a young driver in the car. Parents should talk with their teens about the consequences of distracted driving and the responsibilities that come with driving.
With so many new technological advances and apps to play with, distracted driving is becoming an increasing problem for young drivers. The more opportunities young drivers have to become distracted behind the wheel, the higher their chance of being involved in a serious or fatal car accident. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2018, 2,800 people were killed, and roughly 400,000 were injured in accidents involving distracted drivers. And nine percent of all teens aged 15 to 19 who lost their lives in motor vehicle accidents were killed in accidents that involved distracted driving.
We are passionate about keeping our community safe. Every day our legal team deals with the sad reality of the aftermath of a car crash. We know that an accident does not just impact the people in the vehicles but also entire families. For this reason, attorney William Mattar created this safety campaign to educate high school students across New York State on the dangers of distracted driving and the importance of establishing good driving habits.
If you are injured by a distracted driver, we can help. The team at William Mattar is available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have – call (844) 444 - 4444 today.
