Orange County Injury Attorney Blog

Living in Orange County, we all know how crowded it is in the Los Angeles area and in Southern California. Some of us in OC know the best time of day and the best days of the weeks to drive into Los Angeles and when to avoid going there. To the rest of the nation, Los Angeles is now known as the most congested city in America. As reported by NBC News Los Angeles beat out Honolulu in recent research as the worst congested metro area in the country. The 2012 Traffic Scorecard states that the average driver in LA wastes almost a half hour in traffic.

The congestion score is a compilation of factors including "population density, the average time spent commuting and the percentage of the population that drives to work." In Los Angeles, traffic at peak hours travels at 14 miles per hour adding 26 minutes to what should be an eight-minute drive. According to the report, the average American wasted about 38 hours sitting in traffic last year. Congestion not only wastes time and pollutes the environment, it leads to frustrated and tired drivers and the number of traffic accidents rise.

Every year, a Top 10 Most Congested Cities List is compiled with their congestion index (which is a metric of how much longer it takes to travel during peak traffic hours than when traffic is clear).

Top 10 Most Congested Cities:

1. Los Angeles (28.8)
   
2. Honolulu (26)
   
3. San Francisco (23.5)
   
4. Austin, Texas (20.7)
   
5. New York City (19.9)
   
6. Bridgeport, Conn. (19.1)
   
7. San Jose, Calif. (17.6)
   
8. Seattle (17.6)
   
9. Washington D.C. (16.4)
   
10. Boston (14.7)

There are some things you can do, when driving in heavy congestion to stay safe and avoid a car accident and personal injury. Even though you are traveling at slower speeds, cars are still moving and stopping and going and drivers need to stay focused and pay attention not to rear end the vehicle ahead of them. This can be hard to do when frustrated and your mind starts wandering to how late you are, or to what you could be doing at home or wherever you are going instead of being stuck in your car. Remain alert and be aware of how easily your mind will wander and try to stay focused on your surroundings to avoid distracted driving accidents. Fender benders are not only prevalent in Los Angeles but are a common problem in Orange County too. OC has its share of congestion even though we are not on the Top 10 List for Most Congested cities.

Continue reading "Los Angeles Holds National Title of Most Congested Metro Area" »

Sunny Orange County California is known for its beautiful weather, but on occasion, you might come upon a foggy morning. It's hard to see out the windows when you're driving your kids to school or commuting to work in the morning. In the fog, visibility is reduced and traffic accidents increase. PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE VIRGINIA STATE POLICE.

The California Highway Patrol recommends that drivers adhere to these Fog Driving Safety Tips:

Drive with lights on LOW beam. High beams will reflect off the fog, creating a "white wall" effect.

Reduce your speed - and watch your speedometer. Fog creates a visual illusion of slow motion when you may actually be speeding.

Avoid crossing traffic lanes.

Travel with the drivers window partially open. Listen for traffic.

Watch for CHP pace cars to guide you.

If your car is disabled or you cant continue, pull well onto the shoulder and turn off lights. Move away from your vehicle.

Consider postponing your trip until the fog lifts.

It is important to to be cautious when the weather in OC varies from it's predominately sunny skies. The CHP even suggests drivers consider postponing their trip until the fog lifts. This is because some of the worst accidents in the nation have been fog related. In April 2013, Fox News reported a 95-car pileup in Virginia. There was a series of "chain-reaction wrecks involving nearly 100 vehicles along a mountainous, foggy stretch of the highway." This record-breaking accident killed three people and injured 25 others.

Heavy fog in the acea caused 17 separate crashes within a milespan near the base of a mountain. Warning signs were posted in advance and overhead message boards warned drivers to slow down. Still, people still drove too fast for the conditions. Some of teh vehicles in this wreck caught fire and vehicles were badly charred, according to Fox News. Those taken to the hospital had injuries ranging from minor to catastrophic injuries and including burn injuries. The story was reported nationally by CNN, US Today, Washington Post, NBC News and by multiple media outlets across the US.

For your safety, please follow the Fog Driving Safety Tips as advised by the CHP and especially drive slowly or avoid the fog all together - by doing so you may avoid a car accident.

Continue reading "How to Drive Safely in the Fog Even in Sunny Orange County, California" »

What is the best age to remove the car seat from your car and let your son or daughter sit in the car using a regular seat belt? Are there laws that tell parents what the magic date is? Do you judge how big your child is and determine he's outgrowing it? Is there a system or safety rules that come with your booster seat? These are things that parents and caregivers in Orange County need to know. Parents are increasingly being more cautious by keeping their children in the car seats longer.

Motor vehicle crashes continue to be a leading cause of death for children one to 13 years old. According to the NHTSA (The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), "The correct use of age and size appropriate child restraints is one step parents and caregivers can take to help decrease this number."

In the results of a new survey released this month, the NHTSA concluded that more parents are in 2013 are choosing to keep their children in age and size appropriate car seats and booster seats longer, and waiting to transition their children into a standard seat belt. Safety has become a high priority. The report means that "more parents and caregivers are correctly using car seats and booster seats to save the lives of our youngest passengers in the event of a crash," stated the U.S. Transportation Secretary.

Improving child passenger safety is an important effort for everyone. Even though most parents are taking precautions, some parents still do not restrain their children properly, putting the children at risk of personal injury or death in the event of an automobile accident. NHTSA reports that "25% of children ages four to seven are improperly restrained by seat belts instead of car seats or booster seats."

Continue reading "New Survey Shows More Children are Using Age-Appropriate Car Seats" »

If you drive in Orange County on freeways or highways or streets - you've seen motorcycles driving on the road too. Motorcycles are smaller in size than other vehicles and can be easily hidden in a car's blind spot. Did you know that over half of all fatal motorcycle crashes involve another vehicle? There are lots of things to look out for when sharing the roads with motorcycles.

Here are some things car drivers should be aware of about motorcycles, according to MSF - Motorcycle Safety Foundation:

• Most of the time, the motorist, not the motorcyclist, is at fault.
• Take an extra moment to look for motorcycles, whether you're changing lanes or turning at intersections.
• Motorcyclists often slow by downshifting and the brake light does not always activate. At intersections, predict a motorcyclist may slow down without visual warning.
• Understand that motorcyclists adjust lane position for a purpose, not to be reckless or show off or to allow you to share the lane with them.
• Maneuverability is one of a motorcycle's better characteristics, but don't expect a motorcyclist to always be able to dodge out of the way.
• Stopping distance for motorcycles is nearly the same as for cars, but slippery pavement makes stopping quickly difficult.
• When a motorcycle is in motion, see more than the motorcycle - see the person under the helmet.

  Continue reading "Share the Road Safely With Motorcycles " »

California law requires drivers and all passengers to use a safety restraint system while riding in a motor vehicle. In other word, "buckle-up" or "click-it or ticket." Using your seatbelt will help save you from personal injury in the event of a car accident. To most of us it is second nature, like putting the key in the ignition -- but some often forget and remember after they've driven down the road as an after thought.

According to the California Highway Patrol, few people think they will be involved in an accident, but it's too late to buckle up once a crash begins. Before you start your car, buckle your child into an infant or child seat. Taking a few minutes to fasten a safety belt can save a child. Once your child is secured, don't neglect your own well-being. Fasten your safety belt. It's a life-saving habit.

Car accidents often happen wherein a victim dies and might have lived if that person had been wearing a safety belt. Oftentimes a person will be thrown through a window and if they do survive, it is highly probably that the victim will suffer catastrophic injuries to the neck, head, spine or more.

Most Frequently Asked Questions About Seat belts:

Question: May I legally transport more people than the number of safety belts in my vehicle?

Answer: No. Every person riding in a private passenger motor vehicle must be properly restrained in an approved safety belt system.

Question: Can two people share a safety belt?

Answer: No. Safety belts are designed for one person.

Question: May I transport passengers who are sitting in the cargo area of a pickup truck with a camper shell?

Answer: Yes, if federally approved after-market seats with safety belts have been installed.

Question: Are there exemptions for wearing safety belts?

Answer: All passengers must be protected by safety belts. There are some narrow exceptions, including persons with health problems who carry a current letter from a physician or chiropractor.

Question: How can I make my safety belt more comfortable?

Answer: If the safety belt is too tight or rubs your neck, ask your local car dealer to adjust it. You can also place a soft cloth or piece of sheepskin on the belt where it touches your neck.

Pregnant women should wear the belt under their stomach.
Large people should contact their automobile dealer or manufacturer to purchase a safety belt extender.

Question: Can a person be cited for detaching the shoulder strap or putting it under his/her arm?

Answer: Yes. It's illegal for a motorist to disable a shoulder strap if it is part of the vehicle's manufactured safety system.

Remember, that wearing your safety belt should be a mandatory requirement for riding in your car, and don't treat it as an afterthought. People are killed or severely injured and hospitalized all the time due to not wearing a seatbelt.

Continue reading "Orange County Residents, Buckle Up!" »

If you've read my recent blog or have been tuned in to national news, numerous teenagers have died in recent weeks in horrific car accidents. In Texas, teens held a candlelight vigil to pay tribute to the memories of the five teens that lost their lives in a two-vehicle accident. The five teenagers had been pronounced dead at the scene when a teen driver, age 16, disregarded a stop sign and crashed into a fuel tanker. The driver of the truck suffered burns over 65% of his body. PHOTO COURTESY OF KFDA NewsChannel 10 Amarillo.

Students in the area also participated in a distracted driving poster contest to help bring awareness to the dangers of texting and driving. High School students in Orange County would benefit too in participating in similar contests for their teens to raise awareness of distracted driving, if they have not already done so.

All around the United Sates, newspapers and the media are discussing the recent teen automobile accidents - the teen deaths are a reminder for parents and teens of the importance of teaching driver safety. Parents, adults and teens everywhere are speculating the cause of these problems of multiple teen deaths in horrific accidents and what can be done.

Most people agree that distracted teen drivers are a concern, and especially distractions such as using electrical devices like smartphones, talking while driving and even listening to the radio. Some say it is critical that teen drivers don't have teenage passengers in the first few months they have their license because they are distracting. Picture a 16-year old, fresh from the DMV with a shiny new license piling in the car as many friends as possible, the new driver's excitement level is elevated, the music is booming, and loud, animated conversations are flying around the car. How could the young driver focus on the road, scan for hazards, and concentrate on driving skills in such a distracting environment? It would be better to keep the interior of the car calm and low key until the teen is more experienced and focused.

According to reports, "About two-thirds of teen passenger deaths occur when another teen is driving, and teens are almost 10 times more likely to be in an accident during their first year on the road." It is a common sentiment among grown-ups that teens think they are invincible. They don't believe that anything bad will happen to them.

Others say the problem is enhanced by the fact that teenage drivers are novice drivers. When an adult gets on the road, they are used to scanning the roads and looking for hazards. A teen is not necessarily anticipating hazards or safety dangers. Adult drivers are also wondering how the counties they live in can make certain intersections that are prone to car accidents safer.

Another valid point, is that parents are the example. Teens learn to drive long before they turn 15 or 16, by watching their parents from the back seat. Parents are role-models for their teens. Does mom put her seat belt on? Does dad turn his phone off or put it in the glove-box. Do the adults in their lives drink beer or wine then get behind the wheel? Parents are encouraged too to explain all the good things that will come with safe driving, rather than fall back on only scare tactics of how the teen can get hurt. Many adults feel that parents need to take a more pro-active role in their teen's lives.

Continue reading "Parents and Teens in the U.S. React to the Numerous Recent Teen Auto Accident Deaths" »

Did you know that the U.S. Government has an official website devoted to educating the public about the dangers of distracted driving? According to Distraction.gov, "the best way to end distracted driving is to educate all Americans about the danger it poses." Americans are urged to share the facts with others, and states that "together, we can help save lives."

As a personal injury lawyer in Orange County, I have seen many car accident cases where vehicle drivers and passengers lose their lives or suffer catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injury, spinal injury, paralysis, amputation, and neck injuries, and many of these tragic car accidents were caused by distracted driving and could have been prevented. This is why at Cohn & Swartzon and why the US Government and many others try to educate people about distracted driving.

Any activity that diverts your attention away from the primary task of driving, endangering the safety of drivers, passengers and bystanders is called distracted driving. Common distractions include:

• texting
• using a cell phone
• talking to passengers
• eating and drinking
• brushing hair/putting on make-up/grooming
• using a navigation system
• watching a video
• adjusting the CD player or iPod or radio
• reading maps or any reading

Of all the distractions, text messaging is by far the most dangerous as it requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver.

Key Facts and Statistics as reported by the US Government:

Text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted.

Drivers who use hand-held devices are 4 times more likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves.

Driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37%.

11% of all drivers under the age of 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crash. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted.

40% of all American teens say they have been in a car when the driver used a cell phone in a way that put people in danger.

What can you do? If you are reading this blog article than you have already begun to learn about the dangers of distracted driving and the personal injuries distracted drivers can cause in car crashes. I will continue with this topic in upcoming blogs and discuss how you can do more and get involved, including taking the pledge to drive phone-free. Remember, to stay off your phone while driving and urge others to do the same.

Continue reading "Distracted Driving Key Facts & Statistics" »

I have written repeated blogs about distracted drivers and the impact distracted driving has on the number of car collisions and personal injury here in Orange County. Letting your mind wander while driving contributes to a high number of car crashes. The topic of daydreaming drivers was the focus of a new French Study that analyzed nearly 1,00 collisions and found that half of the accidents could have been caused by a driver's daydreaming or worries.

As responsible drivers we can try to control the urge to look at our cell phones, push buttons on the radio or eat food or multi-task while driving (external distractions), but we have a harder time controlling our wandering mind (internal distractions). Many drivers admit that often they "zone out" or "space out" or "tune out" and let their minds wander while driving, especially when stuck in traffic. Frequently a person might be going over mental to do lists in their mind, or thinking about work, or their calendars, or places they are going.

According to a recent article in the Orange County Register, the study notes that "our minds often wander for half of our walking lives, most often while resting or performing repetitive tasks that are not cognitively challenging." Daydreaming while driving can be extremely dangerous to yourself and to other drivers on the road. Here are some ways you can stay in the moment and try to prevent internal distractions:

• Play car games - look for visual things like blue cars or try to spot any BMW's (or other brand of car) or search for out-of-state license plates - snap out of your "daydreaming-driving" habit by focusing on things on the road around you.
• Check your posture - are you slouching and sitting in your car as if you were at home relaxing in a comfortable chair? Is only one had resting loosely on the steering wheel? Sit up and straighten your shoulders and put both your hands on the steering wheel.
• Embrace the backseat driver - let your passengers know that if they see something dangerous to speak up. Passengers are often looking out the windows and can easily spot threats.
• Remind yourself of the risks - remember that driving is risky and watch out for other vehicles on the road that may have a distracted driver at the helm. Often times a person is alert and driving safe but the other drivers are not.
• Avoid driving while sleepy - sometimes daydreaming turns into dozing at the wheel. To stay alert, keep water in your car to drink or stop at a gas station for a snack or drink, get out and stretch your legs and arms, and perk up before getting back behind the wheel. Standing up and getting fresh air might help.

It is a fact that distracted driving and daydreaming causes accidents. These accidents often result in damage to vehicles and personal injury ranging from mild to catastrophic. Remember to keep the risks in mind when driving.

Continue reading "Daydreaming Drivers Focus of New Study" »

Recent studies have found that most American children are improperly restrained in child car seats, which creates dangerous safety issues. Researches have estimated that more than 140,000 children go to emergency rooms each year as a result of car accidents and the injuries these children sustain vary from mild to severe.

Orange County residents need to be aware that a properly installed car seat and properly seating a child in the car seat or booster seat, reduces the risk of injury or death. In the U.S., car crashes are the leading cause of death for children over age 3.

I have two children myself, and I make sure to take that extra minute of precaution to double check that the straps and buckle of the car seat are secured properly. In fact, I have taken my vehicle to the nearest office of the California Highway Patrol to have them inspect the seat to make sure that it was properly installed. As a personal injury attorney in Orange County for over 27 years, I have seen a lot of damage first hand in cases where children have suffered severe injuries due to car accidents.

According to Parents.com, researchers observed nearly 22,000 children and found that just 3 percent of children between ages 1 and 3 were sitting in a proper, rear-facing car seat, and only 10 percent of 8- to 10-year-old children were properly restrained in a booster seat or a car seat.

Continue reading "Orange County Residents need to be aware of the Dangers of Improperly Installed Car Seats" »

Last week, the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) announced the award of $77 million in federal funding to support 252 traffic safety grants to state and local agencies. These funds will be allocated to state, county and city agencies for the purpose of combating impaired driving, encouraging seat belt and child safety seat usage, discouraging distracted driving, advancing pedestrian, motorcycle and bicycle safety and assisting in the enforcement of traffic laws aimed at saving lives.

According to Christopher J. Murphy, Director of the Office of Traffic Safety, "Programs like these helped us reach a 66 year low in traffic deaths in 2010 in California. But with traffic deaths projected to be higher in 2011, these federal grant funds are being awarded to programs aimed squarely at the major problem areas."

The two "emerging" problems identified by the state of California are ones which this blog has discussed in detail - distracted driving and driving while under the influence. Given the increased incidence of these types of accidents, distracted driving and driving while under the influence will receive special emphasis and funding.

Because recent OTS survey results have shown an increase in cell phone use, the distracted driving effort which began in 2011 will be expanded, with increased enforcement and public awareness campaigns. The incidence of drugs in fatal crashes, both alone and in combination with alcohol, has increased steadily for the last five years. New grants will fund increases in officers trained to detect drug-impaired drivers, special District Attorneys dedicated to drugged-driving cases and new laboratory drug-testing equipment.

Additional grant funded operations will include sobriety checkpoints, special DUI prosecutors and probation department enforcement directed at the worst-of-the-worst DUI offenders.

Continue reading "New California Office of Traffic Safety Grants Directed Towards Increasing Driver Safety on the Road" »

As another school year begins, a growing number of parents will have to deal with their teenagers request for a driver's license and the keys to their own car. Statistically speaking, teens are more likely to end up in a car accident and with the resulting injuries. Orange County parents should exercise caution and go into this delicate situation armed with knowledge and the facts of the situation.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

• Car crashes are the number one cause of teen deaths in the U.S.


• In their first year of driving, one in five 16-year-old drivers has an accident.


• Drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 are four times more likely to die in a crash than drivers between the ages of 25 and 69.


• Teens have the highest chance of having a fatal crash within the first six months of getting their driver's license.


• 2,739 teenagers died in car accidents in the United States during 2008.


• Teen drivers were involved in 12% of all fatal crashes reported to the police.


• Males are twice as likely as females to be killed in a crash while they're teenagers.


• 37% of male drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 were speeding at the time of a fatal crash.


• 55% of teens killed in car crashes weren't using their seat belts.


• 31% of teens drivers were drinking alcohol at the time of their death.

In order to help curb the number of teens for whom these statistics become reality, the Haddam Volunteer Fire Company has proffered the following safety tips for teen drivers:

• Limit distractions. This means texting and driving and talking on cell phones, as well as driving or distracted by too many passengers in the vehicle.
• Learn the Rules of the Road. Lack of driving experience continues to play a major role in teen injuries and fatalities. Parents can help by supplementing driver's training by giving teens plenty of practice behind the wheel (expose them to a wide range of driving situations like traffic jams, rain and night driving, to name a few).
• Obey all traffic laws and posted street signs.
• Never drink and drive or drive under the influence of drugs.
• Keep an open line of communication with parents, especially if you find yourself in a situation where you shouldn't be driving.

Continue reading "As the School Year Begins, the Haddam Volunteer Fire Company Offers Driving Tips to New Teen Drivers" »

According to a simTD company press release, "Ford Motor Company today begins real-world testing of future technologies as part of a research program[me] aimed at advancing car-to-car and car-to-infrastructure communication to European roads".

Ford is reportedly contributing 20 specially equipped S-MAX models to a 120 vehicle fleet that will be used to test 20 "experimental driver assistance technologies". This testing is part of the four-year research project "Safe Intelligent Mobility - Testfield Germany" or simTD.

"The project's goal is to better understand the potential for car-to-car and car-to-infrastructure to improve traffic safety and personal mobility".

Ford is taking on this project because they believe, as experts have suggested, that using mobile communications technology to integrate vehicles with each other and with transport infrastructure could make roads safer and reduce the incidence of car accidents.

Technologies being tested as part of the simTD research project include:

• Electronic Brake Light, which delivers a message from the lead vehicle to a following vehicle if an emergency braking procedure is carried out, even if the incident occurs out-of-sight, for example around a bend in the road; Ford is leading the development and integration of this application


• Obstacle Warning system, which enables a vehicle to inform other road users of the presence, position and type of potentially hazardous obstacles on the road


• Traffic Sign Assistant, which remains in continuous contact with traffic management centres to access up-to-date information on variable speed limits, temporary restrictions and diversions; as well as providing details of current and approaching permanent regulations, such as fixed speed limits and right of way


• Public Traffic Management, which provides exact traffic prognosis based on comprehensive information; this includes identifying likely traffic scenarios and their impact at the point in the journey when they are encountered rather than at the point of departure


• In-car Internet Access, which, for example, can enable the driver to reserve and pay for parking en-route

Continue reading "New Car Technology May Bring Increased Traffic Safety and Personal Mobility" »

Despite the new technology employed to curb the frequency of car accidents, there has been a recent spike in traffic fatalities. Devices like Adaptive Cruise Control, Crash Alerts and Blind Spot Warnings have not been nearly as helpful as manufacturers of both the technologies themselves and the cars that incorporate their use had hoped. In the first quarter of 2012, there was a 13.5% bump in catastrophic car accidents.

According to CNN, approximately 7,630 people died in auto-related accidents so far this year. This represents a significant increase over last year's 6,720 fatality figure, reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

CNN also reported that, "data provided by the NHTSA indicates that if the current estimates hold, the first quarter numbers would represent the second largest year-to-year quarterly increase in traffic fatalities since the government began recording them in 1975. Traffic fatalities in the United States peaked in 1972, with 54,589 killed, according to the Department of Transportation".

Some in the auto safety community are making the case that these new technologies are actually proving to be counter-productive. They argue that these devices provide drivers with a false sense of security, which causes them to pay even less attention to the road than they otherwise would. Thus, these devices may be having the practical effect of increasing distracted driving - a reality which Orange County drivers cannot afford.

As an Orange County personal injury attorney, I know that car accidents are very frequent in Orange County and affect our community in a significant way. The nature of these accidents is quite unfortunate in that they typically hold the victims of these accidents responsible for the myriad costs associated with the crash. Because this is the case, victims of these accidents would greatly benefit from the assistance of an experienced personal injury attorney.

Continue reading "Do New Car Safety Technologies Really Protect Drivers?" »

Three new safety systems have been introduced, and may reduce the number of car accidents that occur annually. The following new safety technologies have already been implemented in more luxury vehicles, but are now spreading to more "mainstream" consumer vehicles. CBS News explains forward collision avoidance, adaptive headlights, and lane departure warning.

Forward collision avoidance: These systems sound an alarm, and sometimes activate the brakes, when a collision is imminent with the car ahead. This system has been studied on Acura, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo vehicles. Insurance claims for the Mercedes and Acura systems that automatically start braking were down by 14 percent, and claims for the similarly equipped Volvo vehicles fell 10 percent. Vehicles with warnings but no automatic braking reduced claims slightly but not significantly.

Adaptive headlights: These headlights move with as a driver steers so that they are pointing where the vehicle is headed. That avoids cars rounding a curve with their headlights pointing off to the side. Claims for cars with this system dropped by 10 percent based on damage to other vehicles involved in an accident. This improvement was larger than researchers had expected.

Lane departure warning: Originally expected to be a significant safety factor, this system sounds a warning when the car is drifting out of its lane because the driver is drowsy or for other reasons. But it did not appear to cut accident claims, and vehicles with the technology even had slightly higher claims. Researchers are not sure why. They speculated that the cameras that track the lane markers may not have worked well or that the alarms were so frequent that drivers turned the system off.

As an experienced Orange County personal injury attorney, I know that car accidents are very frequent in Orange County and affect our community in a significant way. Hopefully, new technologies like these will reduce the number of car accidents that occur annually, both in Orange County and the rest of the country.

Continue reading "New Technology May Reduce the Number of Car Accidents That Occur Annually " »

In a recent study conducted by the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), the number of distracted driving cases in California has actually doubled. The results of this study gained public traction during the second annual Distracted Driving Awareness Month, which is now being held every April. The study surveyed 140 intersections in 17 countries and determined how many drivers were using hand held devices while they were operating their vehicles. The study found that the number of drivers using handheld devices increased by 10.8% from 2011 to the current year. Moreover, drivers ages 16 to 25 also doubled, from 9% percent in 2011 to 18% this current year.

Additionally, another study from the University of San Diego showed that out of 5,000 surveyed college students, 78% admitted using a cell phone while behind the wheel and 46% of those who admitted using a cell phone said they believed they would not be in a car accident because they are capable of driving and texting at the same time.

As Orange County residents are well aware, distracted driving is one of the foremost issues in our community. It has been the source of far too many devastating accidents. And the most tragic part of the distracted driving epidemic is that it is completely within the control of the drivers themselves to fix the problem. The answer is to just make the decision not to use your cell phone while you are driving. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that, despite the fact that almost all of the states have enacted laws prohibiting cell phone usage while driving, texting while driving has actually increased by 50% in the past year. Moreover, as of 2009 the U.S. Department of Transportation reported that approximately 5,500 people died and half a million were injured in accidents involving a distracted driver.

Continue reading "Study Reveals Increase in the Number of Distracted Drivers" »