NJ Auto AccidentDistracted driving claimed over 3,000 lives nationwide in 2013, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Additionally, over 420,000 motorists were injured in distracted driving accidents.

When experienced Princeton car accident attorneys reach out to the community to help reduce the risk of distracted driving accidents, we often find that drivers don’t know much about distracted driving – including how they can help keep themselves and their passengers safer on the road. Here are some of the top most frequently asked questions about distracted driving.

What Is distracted driving?

The NHTSA says that distracted driving occurs “any time you take your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel, and your mind off your primary task: driving safely.”

Is it really that dangerous?

About 3,000 people are killed and 424,000 are injured each year due to distracted driving. That’s about 60 deaths per week, or about nine deaths every day.

I can send a text message pretty quickly, unlike a phone conversation. Doesn’t that make texting safer?

Texting is particularly dangerous because it distracts your brain, eyes, and hands all at once. If your car is traveling at 55 miles per hour, in the five seconds it takes to read the average text message, you have traveled the length of a football field – without noticing what’s ahead.

Do hands-free cell phone options make cell phone use less distracting?

Studies indicate that hands-free devices don’t actually reduce distraction. A driver’s ability to spot dangers in his/her path and avoid them seems to be equally impaired, whether or not s/he is actually holding the phone in his/her hands.

What can I do to drive more safely?

Put away your cell phone when you drive. Work on reducing other distractions, like listening to loud music or eating while you drive. If you’re responsible for kids or teens, model safe driving habits so they have someone to learn from.

If you or a loved one has sustained significant damages in an accident caused by a distracted driver, contact Lependorf & Silverstein, P.C. for immediate legal assistance. You may be entitled to compensation for your losses.

The firm’s principals, Gabriel R. Lependorf and David E. Silverstein, have each been representing injured victims in the State of New Jersey for over thirty years.

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