How to Prevent Distracted Driving in Virginia
April 18, 2021 by Jean Humbrecht
Every year distracted driving in Virginia and throughout the country causes many unnecessary car crashes, injuries, and fatalities. And every year the number of accidents involving distracted driving in Virginia increases.
As a result of this trend, Congress declared April as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. During National Distracted Driving Awareness month, organizations work to promote safe driving habits and focus on educating Americans about the dangers of distracted driving.
For tips on how to prevent distracted driving in Virginia, read the post below.
Distracted Driving in Virginia
A major contributor to car crashes in Virginia is distracted driving-whether it be a distraction from cell phones, in-vehicle technology, passengers, alcohol or drug consumption, eating and drinking while driving, grooming, adjusting volume, looking at a GPS, stress or fatigue, among other things. Teenagers are at an even higher risk of being involved in a car accident because of texting while driving and other distracted driving in Virginia.
For more information on causes of distracted driving in Virginia, read the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute article linked here.
Cell Phones Are a Major Contributor to Distracted Driving in Virginia
As one can assume, cell phone use is a major factor in traffic accidents. Studies show that even when drivers use hands-free technology to use their cell phone while driving, they are still less likely to notice potential hazards on the road.
Additionally, many people have the misconception that they are safer by using in-vehicle technology and infotainment. This technology includes the ability to make a call to a contact or send a voice-to-text message without having to touch a phone while driving.
Newer in-vehicle technology such as rear cameras, motion-activated lights, and GPS could provide a false sense of security to drivers. Looking at a map on a screen in the vehicle or relying on other technology that could malfunction takes drivers’ attention away from the road and may cause them to miss hazards around them.
Cell Phone Use While Driving is a Major Contributor to Traffic Accidents in Virginia
A driver is even more likely to be a victim of a crime if he or she is distracted. This is because the driver is not paying attention to his or her surroundings, no matter how much the person tries to.
In efforts to make drivers and the roads safer, Virginia has prohibited having a handheld communication device in one’s hand AT ALL while driving. This is typically referred to as the Texting While Driving law.
For more information on using a handheld personal communication device while driving in Virginia, click here.
How to Prevent Distracted Driving in Virginia
There are many ways drivers can reduce distracted driving in Virginia and, as a result, traffic accidents. These include using cell phone blocking apps that prevent incoming or outgoing calls or text messages while driving, pulling over to use the phone, having a passenger send or respond to a text message, putting the phone away while driving, driving at the speed limit, not driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and continuing to look in rearview mirrors and blind spots, among many other things.
Click here for more tips on preventing distracted driving in Virginia.
***DISCLAIMER: THE MATERIAL AND INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS POST, ON ANY PAGES ON THIS WEBSITE, AND ON ANY PAGES LINKED FROM THESE PAGES, ARE FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND NOT LEGAL ADVICE. YOU SHOULD CONSULT A LICENSED ATTORNEY IN YOUR JURISDICTION BEFORE RELYING ON ANY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THESE PAGES. SENDING EMAIL TO OR VIEWING INFORMATION FROM THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT CREATE AN ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP***