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NHTSA Reports Drop in Distracted Driving Accident Deaths

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reported a decline in the number of people killed in distracted driving-related deaths in 2009.  Last year, these accidents kill 5, 474 people and left 448,000 people injured.  That was a decline of about 360 deaths compared to 2008.

The statistics were released in time for the beginning of the second Distracted Driving Summit in Washington.  Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood shared the good news with summit participants including law-enforcement representatives, legislators and auto safety groups.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, approximately 995 distracted driving related deaths that occurred in 2009 or a total of 18%, involved the use of a cell phone.  Cell phone use was also a factor in approximately 5% or a total of 24,000 of the total number of injuries in these accidents last year.  This is the first year that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has identified cell phones as a separate distraction category.  Until now, the agency used to lump a range of distractions into a single category.

However, there is some sobering news too.  The proportion of distracted driving deaths increased from 10% to 16 % between 2005 and 2009.  This is even as the number of highway traffic fatalities declined substantially in 2009, to their lowest levels in recorded history.  This shows that while fewer people are being killed in accidents every year, more people are at risk of being killed in accidents involving drivers distracted by cell phones.  That is definitely a matter of concern, and it proves that in order to reduce highway traffic fatalities further, federal agencies should be targeting their attention at distracted driving accidents.

Besides, it’s highly likely that the number of accidents caused every year through cell phone distractions is actually higher.  Few states have strict laws in place to require police to record cell phone use after an accident.  That means it’s very difficult to determine exactly how many accidents every year can be traced to cell phone use at the wheel.

Meanwhile, other federal agencies are also working on their own strategies to combat cell phone distractions.  The Governors Highway Safety Association is considering a proposal that would ban all cell phone use behind the wheel.  According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, it supports a ban on all electronic devices that are used for entertainment purposes, including those using video screens that are near the driver’s seat and are visible to the driver.  The agency also supports a ban on school bus drivers texting or using electronic devices while driving.  The agency recommendations don’t have much weight in that it’s not mandatory for states to end the practice.  However, if the Governors Highway Safety Association adds its voice to those of California car accident lawyers by pushing for a national complete ban on all cell phone use while driving, it will help save more lives in these accidents every year.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of distracted driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

The Reeves Law Group is not representing any party in the matters discussed in this posting.

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