Driving distractions come in all forms. Distracted driving is now being dubbed “the new drunk driving.” According to the Centers for Disease Control, distracted driving kills 15 people and injures more than 1,200 each day. While driving and operating a cell phone ranks as the most dangerous distracted driving habit, daydreaming and texting/updating a social media status ranks second and third. A person who drives and texts is 23 times more likely to crash.
“Officials believe a woman who died in a car accident late last week had been posting to Facebook seconds before the fatal crash.
Investigators puzzling over the cause of the crash ruled out drugs and alcohol before learning the woman, 32-year-old Courtney Ann Sanford, of Clemmons, N.C., had been taking selfies and updating her Facebook profile immediately before the accident.
Just prior to the wreck Thursday morning, Sanford updated her status. “The happy song makes me HAPPY,” she wrote, likely a reference to the hit song of the same name.
“The Facebook text happened at 8:33 a.m. We got the call on the wreck at 8:34 a.m.,” Lt. Chris Weisner of the High Point Police Department told WGHP. “In a matter of seconds, a life was over just so she could notify some friends that she was happy.”
The police department’s Lt. Charles Lanier added to The High Point Enterprise that “she was also taking pictures of herself while driving.”
Authorities have used the accident to remind drivers not to drive while distracted.” – huffingtonpost.com
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving accidents, including those caused by using handheld devices, collectively form the number one killer in teens. All drivers are susceptible to distractions. It’s our responsibility to stay alert and aware of our surroundings while driving. If you have been injured in an accident and believe a distracted driver caused the accident, you have legal rights to investigate the accident further. Our experienced auto accident attorneys in Sacramento will help you determine if a distracted driver caused your accident and help you get compensation for your injuries.
