If you haven’t been cryogenically frozen or living under a rock for the last decade, then you’re aware of the extremely important campaign against “distracted driving.” Most people automatically think of cell phones when they hear the term “distracted driving.” While the campaign against distracted driving focuses heavily on the incredibly dangerous and bad habit of talking or texting while driving, it is intended for much more than cell phone users. The goal is to prevent “DISTRACTED DRIVING”; this means talking on your cell phone, texting, reading, eating, drinking, shaving, applying makeup (you get the picture) while driving. The message is simple: DO NOT DRIVE DISTRACTED. As my father always said, “when you’re driving, drive.” It’s that simple, and yet every day countless people get in their cars and drive distracted. Too frequently people try to multitask behind the wheel and end up injuring themselves or others.
The news is full of stories of distracted driving, often ending in tragedy. Once in a while we hear of a distracted driving accident where everyone walks away, and it’s then when I wonder if the distracted driver would change anything if he could do it all over again.
A perfect example is a car wreck on New Road in South Brunswick that occured on Monday. Anthony G. Attrino of NJ.com reported on Brad Siegel of Dayton who became distracted while driving. Mr. Siegel reportedly looked away from the road ahead of him when he reached down for an item while he was driving. In that short window of distraction, the pickup truck drove off the road, smashed into a utility pole and flipped onto its side. Thankfully, Mr. Siegel was reportedly uninjured despite being involved in a severe crash. Unfortunately, too many people cannot count themselves as lucky. Click here to read the full article.
Remember, the goal is to prevent distracted driving in all its forms, whether it is texting while driving or just taking your eyes off the road to look for something on the floor beside you. No matter what the distraction is, it can wait.
Now, be careful out there. And if you would like to discuss distracted driving and its consequences or the laws relating to it or if you or someone you know has been hurt by distracted driving, please do not hesitate to contact Stark & Stark.