New Survey: Many Admit to Using Cell Phones While Driving

A new survey by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has found that many motorists say they believe talking on the cell phone while behind the wheel is a dangerous habit, but admitted to doing so themselves. According to a Jan. 25 news report in the Los Angeles Times, nearly one-third of the drivers surveyed for the study said they regularly talk on the cellphone while driving.

Most drivers say they are “bugged” by other motorists who are jabbering away on the phone while driving, but admitted to doing so themselves, according to a Jan. 25 news report in the Los Angeles Times. The newspaper reported results of a new study released by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Study, which shows that the “do as I say, not as I do” attitude, which seems to exist among drivers when it comes to cell phone use while driving, underscores the need for better public education on this important subject.

According to the Times article, more than two-thirds of those surveyed admitted to having talked on the phone while driving at least once within the previous month, while one-third admitted to doing so on a regular basis. Here are several other interesting and disturbing findings reported in the study:

• 90 percent of the respondents believe distracted driving is a much bigger problem today than it was three years ago.
• 65 percent of those who talk on their cellphone while driving within the previous month admitted to driving 15 mph or more over the speed limit.
• Nearly half of the drivers who had regularly talked on their phones had also run a red light in the previous month.
• Also, half of the motorists who said they talked on their phone while driving said they held the phone instead of using a hands-free device.
• More than one in four drivers admitted to typing or sending a text or email at least once in the previous month.

There is no question that driving while talking on a cellphone or while texting is a dangerous habit that could result in major injury car crashes, said John Bisnar, founder of the Bisnar Chase personal injury law firm. “This study reinforces what we already know. We know that driving while texting or talking on a handheld device is dangerous. It annoys us and yet, a majority of us continue to do it.”

Public awareness is definitely the key to preventing distracted driving habits, Bisnar said. “Most people who continue to do it also set a poor example for their children. By driving while distracted, motorists put not only themselves and their passengers, but also other people on the roadway in harm’s way. No call, text or email is worth a human life.”

Distracted driving is an epidemic says Bisnar. ‘The Department of Transportation is trying to do something about that and their website distraction.gov is a great resource to see how we can all help stop it”.

The California car accident lawyers of Bisnar Chase represent families that have lost loved ones as a result of negligence or wrongdoing. The firm has been featured on a number of popular media outlets including Newsweek, Fox, NBC, and ABC and is known for its passionate pursuit of results for their clients. Since 1978, Bisnar | Chase has recovered millions of dollars for seriously injured victims and families that have lost loved ones as a result of someone else’s negligence.

For more information, please call 949-203-3814 or visit https://www.bestatto-gatsby-netlify.app for a free consultation.

Sources:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-distracted-drivers-20130125%2c0%2c2069605.story
https://www.aaafoundation.org/sites/default/files/2012TrafficSafetyCultureIndex.pdf