It only takes a few seconds for a driver to become distracted and crash. Five seconds could be the time it takes to check a text but it’s also the time it takes to drive the length of a football field at 55 mph. And with distractions everywhere from flashy billboards to even eating fries the likelihood of being distracted is rather high.
Everyday we hear on the news of a tragic car accident or pass a fender-bender when driving home from work, but the actual statistics of driving distracted are much more alarming. And with SUVs becoming the top-selling passenger vehicle, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), the damage that can be done in a crash is that much more severe.
The effects of driving distracted can be seen in the rise of pedestrian deaths. The GHSA reports that over 6,000 pedestrians were killed in 2018 from distracted driving, a 35% compared to 10 years ago. It should be noted that that number is only for pedestrian deaths and does not account for deaths of other drivers, and Georgia is one of the five states that account for almost half of all pedestrian deaths.
In total, the amount of distracted driving related injuries was close to 400,000 in 2015 according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA); With an average of 9 people that die a day from distracted driving. And as record numbers continue to be made every year staying focused on the road and your surroundings are more important than ever for yourself, your passengers, and the driver’s around you.
Drive safe Atlanta.