Statistics are showing that more and more drivers are becoming involved in automobile accidents due to distracted driving. More than 600,000 drivers use their cell phones on the road, and 12-percent of the deadly crashes in 2011 involved distracted driving. For years, the worried demographic of safe drivers have been chanting to end texting while driving; Well, now, they’ll have to start spouting anti-Selfie hooks as well.
Specifically, the car selfie. Not only are people making driving selfies, they are broadcasting them to the world in hashtags. AAA has been tracking #drivingselfie, #drivingtowork, the ever-terrifying #drivingfast and #drivingintherain.The car selfie is so popular that the Automobile Association of America, or AAA, has issued a warning about it begging drivers to stop taking driving selfies.
“It’s absolutely beyond texting and driving, beyond using the phone… selfies are just the most insane way to get into an accident and it shouldn’t happen at all,” insisted AAA’s Rivera.
So how dangerous is it? AAA broke down just how far people drive distracted in terms of the length of time it takes to take a picture: The AAA said that a driver who is taking a photo for approximately two seconds, takes their eyes off the road for nearly the length of two basketball courts. A driver taking a video while driving is not paying attention to the road for the length of 5.5 basketball courts.
And it’s not just selfies behind the wheel that concerns AAA. Texting and driving is dangerous, so is talking on the phone. And AAA insists that even talking on a hands free phone is a dangerous form of distracted driving. So put the phone down until you arrive at your destination safely.
To speak to a Miami Traffic Lawyer, contact Hochman & Goldin PA today by calling 305-665-1000.