Distracted Drivers Could Be Lethal

Driving on the road demands utmost attention and toDistracted driving, in fact, could be lethal. According to
fall short of the required attention could be fatal to bothstatistics, distracted driving is the number one killer of
the car occupants and pedestrians. As a fact, drunkenAmerican teens. The information shows that
and aggressive driving fatalities and injuries arealcohol-related accidents among teens have dropped,
alarmingly increasing over the past two decades. Thisbut because distracted driving is on the rise, teenage
fact is also attributed to the increasing number oftraffic fatalities remain unchanged.
distracted and negligent driving cases.According to a survey conducted by the institute, while
Earlier, the American Beverage Institute (ABI) hasover 90 percent of teen drivers say they do not drive
launched a nationwide public awareness campaigndrunk, nine out of ten say they have seen drivers
about the dangers of distracted and negligent driving.distracted by passengers or using cell phones. The
The institute has been at the forefront in precludingstudy also showed that a drowsy driver, or even one
drivers with high blood alcohol concentrations fromgoing ten miles faster than others on the road, is more
getting behind the wheel. However, road safety entailsdangerous than one who is legally intoxicated.
more than just regulating abusive drunkards off theAside from the aforementioned, more than 80 percent
road. In addition, it is also more than just purchasing theof drivers admit to hazardous behavior while behind
most reliable auto parts accessories and systems likethe wheel including: reading, changing clothes, steering
the Saab Alco-key, Volvo catalytic converter, and thewith feet, painting nails, and shaving. Additionally, drivers
Toyota Parking Assist system.on cell phones are more impaired than drivers with a
In this week's edition of .S. News and World Report a.08 BAC level.
full-page advertisement about distracted driving was"Now that we've had such success in the war against
published. The ad shows a young woman talking ondrunk driving, we need to turn our attention to the
her cell phone, sending a text message, checking herdangers of distracted driving," said Sarah Longwell, the
email, eating, and speeding. The headline reads: "Shespokeswoman for the ABI. "Most people would never
would never drive drunk yet she's MORE dangerousdrive drunk, yet people don't think twice before taking
than a drunk driver."a call while driving, sending a text message, or eating,
Sober driving could still entertain a great percentage ofeven though those actions are often as bad, if not
road accidents when attended by distractions.worse than driving drunk.