June 7, 2012
There’s a growing epidemic of distracted driving in the United States. In 2010 alone, an estimated 3,000 people lost their lives as the result of crashes stemming from a distracted driver. It has also become the number one contributing factor in fatal teen crashes.
To battle the growing problem, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced its plan to roll out a comprehensive strategy to end distracted driving. The “Blueprint for Ending Distracted Driving” not only provides steps to educate the public on the dangers of being distracted while behind the wheel, but also challenges the federal and state governments to create stricter regulations and better enforcement against the problem.
Other points of the plan include:
- encouraging the 11 states without distracted driving laws to create and enforce such a piece of legislation,
- forcing the auto industry to create new technology that will reduce the chances of distracted driving,
- and creating new programs and material to educate young drivers about the consequences of driving while distracted.
The plan also included a $2.4 million grant to California and Delaware to create pilot programs which will look into whether or not stricter enforcement and better education through media outlets will reduce the number of fatal and injury accidents associated with distracted driving.
The Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyers with Schmidt Kramer Injury Lawyers hope that such a program will reduce the number of Pennsylvania Car Accidents associated with distracted driving.