Four of 10 Drivers Report Distracted Driving Caused Accidents or Near-Misses

Online, July 21, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Four of ten Americans drivers say they have already been hit or nearly hit by a driver distracted by a cell phone. And experts say the increasing use of smart phone applications and vehicle technology is further contributing to distracted driving, an epidemic on the nation's highway that is costing thousands of lives and billions in property damage.

A Harris Interactive poll of 1,000 persons conducted in June for Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company shows 38 percent of drivers have been affected, having been hit or nearly hit by car or truck drivers who were texting or talking on a cell phone.

This epidemic of driving while distracted (DWD) is directly responsible for about 6,000 traffic fatalities and 500,000 injuries every year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The epidemic of DWD is prompting states to move aggressively to put distracted driving laws on the books. The first state to ban text messaging was Washington in 2007. Now, 29 states, D.C. and Guam ban text messaging by all drivers. Seven states, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands ban hand-held cell phone use behind the wheel for all drivers. School bus drivers are prohibited from talking behind the wheel in 18 states and D.C.

While text messaging is the leading cause of DWD, experts also point to increased use of smart phone applications as a significant and growing area of concern.

According to Harris Interactive, one in four drivers admits to using cell phone applications while driving. The cell phone apps most used are ones that allow drivers to access GPS, send and receive email, search the Internet and read and post messages on Facebook and Twitter.

The new survey points to a third area contributing to distracted driving: the technology installed in the car itself. According to the new survey, nearly four out of 10 drivers have vehicles with built-in technology - including a DVD player or video monitor (17 percent), music search (14 percent), capability to make phone calls (13 percent), GPS (13 percent) and Internet access (2 percent). Of those who have these devices, 82 percent of drivers use the music search feature, 85 percent use the DVD/video monitor, 91 percent use GPS and 68 percent use the phone capability.

Experts who follow the issue closely are alarmed, but not surprised, by the findings. "All of us love new technology and how it has made our lives easier in many ways," says Jim Adler, a Houston car accident attorney. "But using technology while driving, whether texting or posting on Facebook, isn't making your life easier-it's risking your life. Multi-tasking has no place on the road. Hang up and drive. Your life depends on it."

Founder of longtime Texas personal injury law firm Jim S. Adler & Associates, Adler is a Houston car accident attorney who supports Safe Kids, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and other safe driving campaigns.

"Anyone harmed by a distracted driver -- or any driver - can obtain a free case review form on the Adler Web site to take the first step toward financial recovery," Adler says.