South Carolina Attorney Warns of the Dangers of Driving Distractions
Bert Louthian, of the Louthian Law Firm in Columbia, S.C., notes that thousands of distracted driving accidents are caused by cell phone use, texting.
Columbia, S.C. (PRWEB) October 13, 2009 -- New research indicates the danger of driver distractions from cell phone use and texting is much greater than previously realized, says a South Carolina personal injury lawyer.
"Something as simple as waiting to return a phone call until you arrive at your destination can be the difference between arriving safely and being badly injured," said Bert Louthian, of the Louthian Law Firm in Columbia, S.C.
In September 2009, federal researchers released findings that 5,870 people lost their lives in 2008, and another 515,000 were injured, as a result of distracted U.S. drivers. According to the researchers:
| | - Driver distraction was involved in 16 percent of all fatal crashes in 2008, up from 12 percent in 2004.
- Driver distraction was involved in 21 percent of all injury crashes reported in 2008.
- The age group with the greatest proportion of distraction-related accidents was 16 to 20-year-old drivers.
|
A leading cause of driver distraction is cell phone use. According to research in the New York Times, drivers using phones are four times more likely to cause a crash. The chance that a driver using a cell phone will crash is roughly equal to that of someone with a .08 percent blood alcohol level, the point at which drivers are generally considered legally intoxicated.
"Drivers need to be aware of these risks and do whatever they can to minimize distraction," Louthian said. "The convenience of talking on the phone or texting while driving is simply not worth the risk."
About The Louthian Law Firm
The Louthian Law Firm, P.A., of Columbia, South Carolina, has been obtaining fair compensation for S.C. personal injury victims since 1959. It was founded by Herbert Louthian, who has nearly 50 years of trial experience and is licensed to practice in all courts in South Carolina. The Louthian Law Firm focuses on personal injury cases involving car, truck and motorcycle accidents, medical malpractice and other serious and catastrophic injuries throughout South Carolina.
For a confidential case evaluation, contact the firm by phone at (866) 410-5656 or visit the firm's Web site at http://www.louthianlaw.com/.
###
Post Comment:
Trackback URL: http://www.prweb.com/pingpr.php/Q3Jhcy1GYWx1LVNpbmctSGFsZi1DcmFzLUNvdXAtWmVybw==
Bookmark -
Del.icio.us |
Furl It |
Technorati |
Ask |
MyWeb |
Propeller |
Live Bookmarks |
Newsvine |
TailRank |
Reddit |
Slashdot |
Digg |
Stumbleupon |
Google Bookmarks |
Sphere |
Blink It |
Spurl
|
