Everyone knows that talking and texting on a cellphone while driving can greatly increase your chances of getting into a car accident, but what about using a hands-free or speech-to-text device preinstalled in your vehicle? According to the National Safety Council (NSC), there is no data to support that using a hands-free device of any sort while driving is safer than picking up a smartphone and using it to text. In order to bring attention to this misconception that hands-free is risk-free, the NSC has declared April to be Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
All throughout April and all across the country, the NSC will be using advertisement campaigns, online webinars, and promotional materials to reeducate drivers of the importance of acting responsibly behind the wheel. The motto is “Take Back Your Drive” and it means removing all distractions when operating your vehicle and focusing on the important task at hand: getting to your destination safely.
Some of the distracted driving accidents statistics gathered by the NSC include:
- Distracted drivers tend to not see 50% of their immediate surroundings.
- 80% of drivers wrongly believe that hands-free devices are safe to use while driving.
- 30+ studies have found that hands-free devices are just as distracted as cellphones.
- 53% of drivers are misled to think that built-in hands-free options in their cars are safe to use.
- Speech-to-text features are more distracting than physically texting.
- At least 25% of all car accidents involve one or more drivers using a cellphone.
The NSC encourages all drivers to remember that onboard and preinstalled devices in vehicles, which are gaining in popularity as the years go on, are there for your entertainment and convenience. But they are not there to encourage safety by any means. As contrary as it might seem to automaker television ads, you should not use “infotainment” features if your car is in motion.
For more information about how the National Safety Council is promoting safety this month, check out their website by clicking here. If you have been in an auto accident and you believe the other driver is liable, and that they were distracted at the time of the collision, be sure to contact our Denver car accident attorneys at The Gilbert Law Group®. There is no time to lose – set up your free case evaluation today.
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