National safety council targets distracted driving during national safety month |i4s.info

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National safety council targets distracted driving during national safety month

Each year, the National Safety Council encourages businesses to get involved with important safety issues by designating June as “National Safety Month.” To spotlight issues it considers especially important, the NSC gives each week of the month a theme. This year, the NSC has designated the fourth week in June, June 21-27, as “Distracted Driving” week. While the National Safety Council typically works to highlight safety issues important to business, distracted driving is an issue for anyone who is behind the wheel, on a street or on a sidewalk. Distracted driving is commonly the practice of driving while talking on a cell phone or texting, and it is a growing menace on our nation’s highways. The National Safety Council estimates that about 28 percent of crashes, or 1.6 million incidents a year, are a result at least in part of drivers talking or texting on cell phones. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that distracted driving results in at least 6,000 deaths and more than 500,000 injuries every year. .
     In a nation addicted to cell phones — 91 percent of Americans, or about 286 million people, own cell phones — many in the general public aren’t yet aware of the dangers of distracted driving. However, an emerging body of study is conclusively showing just how dangerous the practice is. (The National Safety Council says at least 50 peer-reviewed studies document the dangers of distracted driving.) Consider these findings: · A study from Virginia Tech estimates that 80 percent of crashes are related to driver inattention, and the primary cause of driver inattention is cell phones. · A Nationwid.
     Insurance public opinion poll showed 81 percent of the public admit to talking on a cell phone while driving. · The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates approximately 6,000 fatalities and 500,000 injuries occur annually as a result of distracted driving. · A Nationwid.
     Insurance survey found that almost 80 percent of Americans have been in a vehicle with distracted drivers, and more than 40 percent have been hit or almost hit by another driver who was talking on a cell phone while driving. The National Safety Council recommends: · Silence your phone before you begin driving. · Set up a voice mail message that explains you’re on the road practicing safety to protect yourself and other drivers. · Refrain from texting while driving. Research shows that drivers who text are eight to 23 times more likely to be involved in a car crash. · Pull over and park if a call is absolutely necessary. · Encourage your friends and family to leave their phones out of reach while driving. A number of states have already moved to restrict cell phone usage. Seven states have outright bans on using any handheld cell phone while driving (California, Connecticut, New Jersey, Ne.
     York.
     Oregon.
     Utah and Washington), as do the District of Columbia and th.
     U.S. Virgi.
     Islands. Wireless headsets are banned for young drivers (under 18 or 21, depending on the state) in 21 states and D.C. Twenty-three states and D.C. ban text messaging for all drivers; nine other states ban it for minors and/or new drivers. And in other states, many cities are enacting laws to ban distracted driving. The National Safety Council has called for a complete ban on using cell phones while driving.
     In the absence of a ban, however, employers can educate employees about the dangers, while teachers can educate students, and parents can educate their children. .
     Everyone must hang up and drive. Jim Adler of Jim S. Adler & Associates is a car accident attorney who works with outside and local counsel to litigate claims in all 50 states. Adler’s firm, Jim S. Adler & Associates, supports Safe Kids, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and other safe driving campaigns. “Anyone harmed by a distracted driver -- or any driver – can obtain a free case review form on the Adler Web site to take the first step toward financial recovery,” he said.

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