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Distracted Drivers Kill Thousands Each Year

by Annina Bergman | September 30, 2009 at 01:08 pm

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Drivers who were distracted by electronic devices killed around 5,800 people in the United States during 2008, says U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

The numbers were presented at a two-day Transportation Department conference which focused on exploring research on how drivers are distracted by phones and other things around them. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released numbers that showed more than 5,800 people were killed and 515,000 injured by distracted drivers last year. The administration estimates the number is in fact higher, as it is sometimes difficult to determine if the driver was distracted before an accident.

The number of incidents involving distracted drivers has risen steadily over the past years. In 2004, 11 percent of accidents were contributed to distracted drivers, compared to 16 percent in 2008. Drunken drivers are still much worse, accounting for 30 percent of vehicle-related deaths.

Auto manufacturers, the wireless industry, lawmakers and other groups support state and local efforts to ban texting while driving, but outlawing cellphone use behind the wheel has less support. Congress is also considering legislation to ban texting while driving.

"To put it plainly, distracted driving is a menace to society and it seems to be getting worse every year," LaHood said, adding that it was an "extraordinarily serious epidemic."

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Barry Artiste

at 14:23 on September 30th, 2009

Try driving downtown Richmond,BC if you want to see distracted, if not befuddled drivers trying to negotiate a turn or drive through on a green light!

Rory Cripps

at 15:19 on September 30th, 2009

If they're going to throw drunk drivers in jail, then it's only fair to throw distracted drivers in jail. After all, distracted drivers kill people too. And the distracted have no excuse for doing so other than their sheer stupidity and narcissistic self-absorption. In my opinion, those kind of people are more dangerous than drunks and there's a lot more of them on the roads. Wonder what the emotionally distraught members of MADD have to say about that? Probably nothing . . . .

sara star

at 16:17 on September 30th, 2009

Cell phones should be banned for those driving. I also think billboards and other advertising should be banned too, as they distracting. It is enough just to keep an eye on the traffic signs.

And is anyone finding the new "blue" headlights annoying at night? The old soft lights are a lot more calming.