TENNESSEE PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY BLOG: Gilreath and Associates

Contact  SidGilreath.com

Tennessee Injury Blog

Helping victims of injury and wrongful death obtain compensation is just one side of our practice. We also strive to educate potential clients and the public at large so they can better discuss cases with legal counsel and ensure successful outcomes.
  • Home
  • About
    • Attorneys
    • Firm Overview
    • Press Releases & Publications
  • Case Results
  • Practice Areas
    • Personal Injury
    • Brain Injury
    • Trucking Accidents
    • Auto Accidents
    • Motorcycle Accidents
    • Aviation Accidents
    • Boating/Watercraft Accidents
    • Medical Malpractice
    • Defective Products
    • Workers Compensation
    • Railroad Injuries/FELA
    • Memphis Car Accidents
    • Nashville Personal Injury Attorneys
    • Knoxville Car Accident Attorneys
    • Nashville Car Accidents
    • Birth Injury
  • Learn
    • FAQs
  • Blog
  • Contact
    • Directions
    • Referring Attorneys
Home / Advocacy / Distracted Driving: A Focus on Texting While Driving

Distracted Driving: A Focus on Texting While Driving

April 7, 2014 By Staff Writer

texting while driving

Anything extra that you do inside your vehicle that diverts you away from the primary action of driving can be considered a distraction. According to distraction.gov these activities include (but are not limited to):

  • Eating and drinking
  • Talking to passengers
  • Grooming
  • Watching a video
  • Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player

While the above activities defiantly will cause you distraction while driving, the hot button topic these days involves the driver using their cell phone while operating their vehicle. Activities involving a cell phone that can distract a drive include:

  • Texting
  • Using a cell phone or smartphone
  • Reading, including maps
  • Using a navigation system

Of the actions you can perform with your phone while trying to drive, texting is by far the most dangerous. This is because the act of texting requires visual (taking your eyes off the road), manual (taking your hands off the wheel) and cognitive (taking your mind off driving) attention from the driver—away from the act of driving.

Texting While Driving Statistics

  • The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that driver distraction caused of 18 percent of all fatal crashes
    • 3,092 people killed
    • 416,000 people wounded
    • 40% of teens say they have been in a car when the driver used a cell phone in a way that could put passengers in danger
    • Text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted
    • 11% of drivers 18 to 20 involved in an accident and survived admitted they were sending or receiving texts

What is being done?

To combat the number of drivers who are injured in texting-related accidents, many states are taking action, including

1. Creation of New Laws

Many states are adding laws to the books that ban texting while driving. In addition, some states are changing the licensing system for teenaged drivers. This change in system is geared to help raise awareness amongst teens about the dangers of distracted driving and the ways to stop occurrences.

On a federal level, President Obama issued an executive order in 2009 that prohibits federal employees from texting while they drive—this includes when they drive for government business and while they are operating government equipment. A year later, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration followed with a ban prohibiting commercial drivers from texting while driving.

2. It Can Wait Pledge

Along with states enacting bans on texting while driving, teens and adults are taking the responsibility on themselves to help combat texting-related accidents. Partnering with all the major mobile phone carriers, people are taking a pledge to not text while driving called It Can Wait. To join the pledge yourself, please visit their website: #Itcanwait.

From the statistics and with the knowledge—even with movements like It Can Wait—that the rate of texting will not go down, chances are there will still be accidents caused by drivers who are distracted by their phones.

If you believe you or your family member has been a victim of a distracted driver, we invite you read our knowledge center article Distracted Driving and Your Legal Rights for more information. And of course, please schedule a free consultation at Gilreath & Associates as soon as possible to discuss your case.

For more information about automobile accidents, distracted driving and Tennessee attorneys at Gilreath & Associates continue browsing our blog and knowledge center.

Related Resources

  • Who’s Liable for a Tennessee School Bus Accident?
    Who’s Liable for a Tennessee School Bus Accident?
  • Chris Gilreath Talks Trucking Industry Regulations & Accident Liability
    Chris Gilreath Talks Trucking Industry Regulations &…
  • What’s the Difference Between Medical Malpractice and Medical Device Failure?
    What’s the Difference Between Medical Malpractice and…
Nationwide Toll Free: (800) 637-7024
Nationwide Toll Free
800.637.7024

Search

Categories

  • Advocacy
  • Auto Accidents
  • Community
  • Inadequate Security
  • Injury
  • Legislation
  • Medical Device
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Product Failures
  • Safety
  • Tennessee
  • Trucking Accidents
  • Wrongful Death

Archives

Tags

auto safety aviation accidents birth injury boating accidents boating safety brain injury car accidents child safety civil lawsuits community events court rulings covid-19 defective medical products defective products distracted driving DUI food safety hip replacement lawsuits medical malpractice medical malpractice cases medical product failures meningitis outbreak motorcycle accidents negligence nursing home abuse pedestrian accidents personal injury personal injury lawsuits pharmaceutical liability playground safety premises liability prescription errors product liability attorneys product recalls product safety lawsuits slip & fall Tennessee malpractice lawyer Tennessee truck accidents Tennessee truck accident safety regulation tort law tractor trailer accidents train accidents truck accident settlements workers' comp wrongful death

Membership badges

Gilreath & Associates
KNOXVILLE
Bank of America Center
550 Main Ave
Suite 600

Knoxville, TN 37902
United States
865-637-2442
Gilreath & Associates
MEMPHIS
One Memphis Place
200 Jefferson Ave
Suite 711

Memphis, TN 38103
United States
901-527-0511
Gilreath & Associates
NASHVILLE
The Stahlman Building
501 Union St
Suite 400

Nashville, TN 37219
United States
(865) 637-2442
  • SidGilreath.com
  • Find us on Facebook

The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and experience. This web site is designed for general information only. The information presented at this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.

Law Firm Web Design & Marketing Services by SEO Advantage, Inc.™


Gilreath & Associates: Tennessee Enjuris Partner Attorney


Tennessee Personal Injury Lawyers at Gilreath & Associates offer free and personal consultation to help you evaluate your legal options.
Our attorneys are dedicated to helping you recover financially from an injury stemming from someone else's negligence.