According to a recent study released by the University of Utah, driver’s utilizing their car’s built-in navigation system are more distracting than driver’s who are texting. Driving while using other in-vehicle information systems such as MP3 players, radios, cellphones, and messaging devices, is equally as dangerous, the study found.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that driver’s are twice as likely to get into an accident when they take your eyes off of the road for a mere two seconds. Alarmingly, the former study found that it takes 40 seconds, on average, to program a vehicle’s navigation system while driving, greatly increasing your chances of being involved in a motor vehicle accident.
Currently, federal law does not prohibit people from using their cellphones while driving. Only 15 states, including New York, have imposed a total hand-held device ban. Still, there is no state that bans cellphone use altogether. While using a hands free cellphone device to make a call seems relatively innocuous, researchers at Carnegie Mellon found that this activity reduces the brain’s “spatial processing” function, which is critical to helping the driver recognize objects, like other vehicles, on the road.
The Law Office of Louis Grandelli, P.C., has skillfully represented victims of motor vehicle accidents and pedestrian knockdown for the past twenty-five years. In this ever increasingly dangerous world of distracted drivers, we protect the rights of the injured and work tirelessly to ensure they are compensated generously for their injuries. If you or a loved one has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, please contact our office for a free consultation.
