Dangerous Driving Diversions – Colorado State’s New Ad Campaign
The Colorado State Patrol is taking a humorous approach to stopping dangerous driving diversions with it’s “Get Your Head out of Your Apps,” ad campaign. The ads target drivers who, despite the dangers, continue to talk, text, tweet, and post when they should be concentrating solely on operating their vehicle safely. The new campaign was launched on the heels of a two-year period in which Colorado witnessed 40,000 distracted driving collisions.
Colorado law prohibits motorists under the age of 18 from using a phone for any purpose while driving. All other drivers are restricted from “texting or entering other data into a phone” while driving. These laws apply to drivers stopped at traffic lights as well.
While many people fail to see the harm in sneaking a peek at a text message while driving, the truth about distracted driving is alarming. It takes an average of 4.6 seconds to read a text message. In that amount of time, a vehicle traveling at 55 mph, could cover the length of a football field without the driver ever having his or her eyes on the road.
According to the Colorado-based organization, textinganddrivingsafely.com, texting increases a driver’s odds of crashing by as much as 23 times. The seemingly innocent act of reaching for your phone increases your risk of being in an accident 1.4 times.
Another staunch advocate of ending distracted driving tragedies is Oprah Winfrey. She implemented her “no phone zone” in 2010, and regularly implores guests and audience members to take the pledge. Her pledge reads, “I pledge to make my car a No Phone Zone. Beginning right now, I will do my part to help put an end to distracted driving by not texting or using my phone while I am driving. I will ask other drivers I know to do the same. I pledge to make a difference.”
Further Reading: Distinguishing Between PTSD and TBI Using Brain Scans
The official government website dedicated to distracted driving, distraction.gov, reports a disturbing piece of information on their homepage: 3,154 people were killed in distracted driving accidents nationwide in 2013. They too, have a pledge which can be downloaded and signed which states, “One text or call could WRECK it all.”
The Governors Highway Safety Administration reports that, currently, no states implement comprehensive cell phone bans for all drivers. Washington was the first state to ban texting for all drivers in 2007, and all but four states have followed suit.
An AT&T study recently disclosed that 40% of drivers use social media while behind the wheel, and the problem of enticing electronic distractions just seems to be getting bigger. Cell phones are ever-present, and new gadgets are constantly being introduced. The statistics, however, don’t lie- distracted driving is deadly, and no conversation, text, or status update is worth a life.
Contact our Northern Colorado Car Accident Lawyers
If you have been injured by a distracted driver, it is important to understand all the issues you may face. Insurance companies will try anything to reduce their liabilities – that’s why you need us on your side. At Hull & Zimmerman, P.C., our committed personal injury lawyers are dedicated to the belief that everyone deserves justice. Contact us at (303) 423-1770 or (866) 385-3505.
Our personal injury lawyers have extensive experience representing injured accident victims in Broomfield, Arvada, Superior, Lafayette, Louisville, Erie, Brighton, Commerce City, Northglenn, Westminster, Thornton, Longmont, and throughout Colorado.
