Distracted Driving More Dangerous Than DUI?

Most of us agree that driving under the influence of alcohol is extremely dangerous. Perhaps many agree that engaging in other activities behind the wheel, no matter how "innocent" the activity, is also a recipe for disaster. But how many of us would consider driving while distracted MORE dangerous than driving drunk?

Based on a 2005 cause-of-accident study, the number of fatalities from traffic accidents involving drunk driving has decreased over the past twenty years while the number of fatalities from non-alcohol-related traffic accidents has increased within the same time frame. Based on this statistic, you are more likely to be injured in a car accident by a distracted driver than by a drunk driver.

It doesn’t take much reflection to associate the changes in culture and technology over the past twenty years with the changes in causes of car accidents. Listening to music, playing movies for child passengers, applying makeup, eating, talking and texting on cell phones, and even changing clothes and painting nails are all among activities research participants admitted to engaging in while driving. Despite recent research, these forms of driving have received far less attention in the media, awareness programs, and law enforcement than driving while intoxicated. Just as drivers who brave the wheel while intoxicated face serious consequences, so should those who engage in other forms of distracted driving, the number one killer of teens in the United States. As anti-drunk driving programs educate the public on the dangers of DUI, programs providing education on the dangers of DD (distracted driving) must answer the call for action as well.

If you or a loved one has experienced injury or loss as a result of another’s reckless driving, call Murphy & Associates at 770-577-3020 for a free consultation.