Texting, Webbing and Day Dreaming Are All Deadly Distractions

Austin, TX (Law Firm Newswire) June 21, 2013 – A recent insurance company survey reveals daydreaming is another deadly distraction.

“The news is full of stories about people dying as a result of texting and driving and/or webbing and driving. Now, a report by the Erie Insurance Group concludes that one in ten people, of the 65,000 killed between 2010 and 2011, were driving while distracted. Their research was based on studying police reports that, among other things, contained the official notation that the driver had been lost in thought, or day dreaming, prior to the crash,” indicated Austin personal injury attorney Bobby Lee, of Lee, Gober and Reyna in Austin, Texas.

The most interesting revelation was not so much that day dreaming could become deadly, but that drivers that did day dream while driving were five times more likely to get into a fatal accident, compared to those using a mobile device. In short, any distraction that takes a driver’s eyes off the road and directs their attention elsewhere may result in a serious injury accident or a fatality.

There is further evidence available from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) that indicates the number one reason for fatal auto accidents is day dreaming. In fact, FARS claims up to 62 percent of the accidents are caused by a driver’s wandering mind versus approximately 12 percent caused by mobile device usage. There are other distractions, including eating, drinking, applying makeup, smoking, passengers in the vehicle and watching the scenery instead of the road.

“Driving requires all of your attention, not just a part of it,” added Lee. “Not many drivers realize that there are up to 20 multi-part decisions that need to be made for every mile driven. It is best to focus all of your attention on that one task alone. Leave the texting, webbing or day dreaming for another time.”

Thirty-nine states have banned texting while driving and there are at least six others that have partial laws dealing with this issue on the books.

To learn more, visit Austin personal injury lawyer and http://www.rwleelaw.com.

Lee, Gober and Reyna
11940 Jollyville Road, Suite 220-S
Austin, Texas 78759
Phone: 512.478.8080

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