In the 1980s, it seemed like only the rich and famous could afford “car phones.” If you’re under the age of 30, you may never even heard of a car phone before but they were around before today’s modern cellphone. In the mid to late 1990s, cellphones began to increase in popularity though not everyone could afford them. By the early 2000s, the prices for the early cellphones had become more competitive and more people could afford them.
Though people have been talking on car phones for decades, texting and smartphone technology, while embraced by all, has had unintended effects, many of which are deadly.
Today, an alarming number of injury and fatal car accidents are associated with texting and cellphone use (distracted driving), and this includes calling on cellphones, sending and reading text messages, sending direct messages on social media apps, and checking social media feeds on platforms like Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook while driving.
The Statistics Are Sobering
Distracted driving, especially as it pertains to cellphone use is extremely dangerous, but don’t just take our word for it. The most recent statistics are sobering:
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that in 2017, 3,166 people were killed as a result of distracted driving.
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each day, about 9 people in the United States are killed and more than 1,000 are injured by a distracted driver.
- Not surprisingly, teens make up the largest group of distracted drivers involved in fatal crashes, according to the National Occupant Protection Use Survey.
What You Can Do to Help
The data is in, clearly, texting and driving do NOT mix. What can you do to help? For starters, you can lead by example. Do not text and drive yourself. If you need to send or receive a text message, pull over to a safe spot. When you’re riding as a passenger, discourage the driver from texting while driving.
And if you’re a parent, make it clear to your teens that they cannot use their cellphone while driving, period, not even to make a call. Beyond that, inform yourself of the laws in South Carolina, which are as follows:
- It is against the law in South Carolina for all drivers to text while driving.
- The state does not have a hand-held ban.
- Under Federal law, semi-truck drivers cannot text while driving.
To learn more about distracted driving from the Governors Highway Safety Association, click here. If you were injured by a distracted driver, contact the Law Office of James R. Snell, Jr., LLC to file a claim for compensation.