Runner-Up Essay from Thomas Law Office’s Spring 2017 Scholarship
Learning to drive is something everyone looks forward to doing. I vividly remember the joy and excitement I felt after passing my driver’s test. Driving safely is a task that requires a great deal of an individual’s attention. Many drivers do not apply the same precautions in their daily driving habits as they did on their driving […]
The Winning Essay from Thomas Law Office’s Spring 2017 Scholarship
There is no need to text and drive just as there is no reason or excuse to drink and drive, and if statistics show that texting and driving is actually more dangerous than drinking and driving, why is it generally socially acceptable to text and drive? For as long as I can remember, I have […]
How to Minimize the Risks of Being Hit by a Drunk Driver
It’s no secret that drunk drivers cause a large percentage of America’s car accidents. According to data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 9,967 people were killed in alcohol-related driving accidents in 2014. This accounts for nearly one-third of all traffic-related deaths for that year. Over 1.1 million drivers were arrested […]
Hands-Free Car Devices Can Increase Distraction
The American Automobile Association (AAA) is warning drivers to be wary of the new hands-free technologies that work from voice commands. Manufacturers have been marketing “hands-free systems” as desirable safety features – with the idea being they allow drivers to keep their hands on the wheel. And a survey found three out of four drivers […]
Distracted Driving Laws are Mostly Working
A new study in the Journal of Public Health shows that state laws banning texting have been successful at reducing deaths. The most effective are primary bans – which allow police officers to cite a person on texting alone. Need for the Laws This is good news, considering the amount of drivers who drive distracted […]
Voice Control Devices Still Distracting
New cars today can make phone calls for you and probably even pay your bills all by the sound of your voice. But in a groundbreaking new study, AAA shows hands-free isn’t risk free, and implores auto manufacturers to consider safety before installing new and smarter gadgets. In 2011, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety […]
Cell Phone Use May Cause More Auto Accidents than Reported
Distracted driving is one of the major causes of accidents in the U.S. In many cases, cell phone use is responsible for distracted driving accidents. According to a recent report from the National Safety Council, though, cell phones might cause more accidents than most people think. Cell Phone Use Isn’t Always Reported When police report […]
Study Examines Why Cell Phone Conversations are More Distracting than In-Person Ones
As distracted driving accidents involving cell phone use continue to claim lives and cause serious injuries on U.S. roads, many organizations, including the National Safety Council (NSC), have begun researching why cell phones, in particular, seem to increase the risk of accidents. If talking on a cell phone – whether handheld or hands-free – increases […]
Teen Texting: Monkey see, Monkey Do?
In many ways, teens are no different than adults. We all know it’s dangerous to talk on the cell phone, text, and analyze the GPS while we drive – yet how many of us still do it? The same appears to be true for teens. An AT&T survey found that 97% of teens know that […]
Documentary Reveals How Texting and Driving Claims Lives
When asked about the risks of texting and driving, most Kentucky drivers can name a few, such as car crashes, injuries, or vehicle damage. Even, in severe accidents, deaths. But even though they know what the risks are, too many Kentucky drivers decide to take the chance and text behind the wheel anyway, violating Kentucky […]
The Dangers of Distracted Driving
In the month of June 2011, more than 196 billion text messages were sent or received. Many of these were by distracted divers of cars, trucks, or tractor-trailers. All too often, distracted driving is leading to accidents and severe injuries for both the distracted drivers and their victims. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety […]
Fighting Technology with Technology: Technological Devices that Can Help Prevent Distracted Driving
The nationwide problem of distracted driving has gained attention in recent years from both the public and lawmakers alike, and the dangers of driving distracted are increasingly well documented and studied. Distracted driving is any activity that draws a driver’s attention away from the road, which can include eating, programming a GPS, or texting. According […]
Distracted Driving Simulator Aims to Prevent Dangerous Accidents
Teens in Graves County high schools had the opportunity recently to use a new creation intended to show Kentucky youth the dangers of distracted driving: a distracted driving simulator. Distracted driving can include any of a wide range of activities that draw away a driver’s attention from the road, such as using a cell phone, […]