Why drivers should keep their eyes on the road

Most Florida drivers understand how serious driving while distracted can be. Simply turning their gaze away from the road or placing their attention elsewhere, be it on a text message, a passenger in the car or a telephone call, could lead to a major accident.

Driving the car at high speeds can be deceptive, especially if a person is driving in a newer vehicle. From inside the vehicle, driving at 55 miles an hour seems relatively slow. However, the reality is that when a driver is cruising at that speed, they cover a distance a little bit longer than a football field in a span of five seconds. If they take their eyes off the road for just a few seconds, they could potentially be driving the length of a football field blind or distracted.

The situation is more perilous when driving through a construction zone on a highway. Researchers have seen that when individuals drive distracted on the freeway in a construction zone, they are 29 times more likely to either be involved in a collision or to experience a near miss. Researchers were able to come to this conclusion by using driver study data to give them information about how vehicles, roadways, environmental factors and driver behaviors influence a crash.

Information gathered from this study can be used by government agencies to take steps to make driving safer. The steps could include increased education on the dangers of driving while distracted as well as changes to policies with the goal of deterring distracted drivers.

If a person is a victim of an automobile accident caused by a distracted driver, they may wish to talk to a lawyer. A personal injury lawyer may be able to evaluate and assemble a civil claim. They may be able to do this by looking at the evidence gathered by law enforcement agents, medical professionals, eyewitnesses and camera footage. This information may then be used to negotiate settlements with the responsible party.