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Overcoming the Distracted Driving Habit

Overcoming the Distracted Driving Habit

distracted driving“Over the years we’ve seen a rise in crashes caused by distracted driving; Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers is committed to communicating to our client the importance of driver safety. We encourage drivers to arrive safe.”  -Jon Ostroff

Distracted Driving Awareness Month: Can You Break the Distracted Driving Habit?

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Most of us know that distracted driving is dangerous; we may even grumble about distracted drivers when we see another driver using a cell phone. Yet, most of us have engaged in the same behavior. In one survey, 70 percent of drivers age 18 to 64 admitted to talking on their phone while driving in the month before the survey. Thirty percent admitted to texting. The Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA) that at any given time, nearly 50 percent of drivers are distracted.

If we know distracted driving is dangerous, why do we do it? Most of us are used to multi-tasking. We have busy lives that rarely allow us to give a task our full attention. It’s easy to believe that nothing will happen if we answer the phone, read a text, or eat a sandwich while driving. However, multiple studies have shown that our brain can only focus on one thing at a time. The fact is that if you are focusing on a phone call, you are unable to fully focus on driving. When driving, even a few seconds of inattention can be disastrous.

The car accident lawyers at Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers know how serious distracted driving can be. We know that nearly one-quarter of all Pennsylvania accidents involve driver distraction, yet we are just like you. Despite knowing the risks, we also have to fight the urge to answer the phone or check that text.

Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers has adopted the American Association of Justice’s Safe Driving Policy. All employees of our law firm have pledged to become safer drivers. Please join us in our promise to:

  • Drive without texting or using a handheld device of any type
  • Reduce or eliminate our use of hands-free and Bluetooth cell phones
  • Let our phones go to voicemail while driving
  • Pull over before answering the phone or checking messages and texts
  • End calls and texts if we learn that the other party is driving
  • Reduce other distractions while driving, including personal grooming, eating, drinking, programming the GPs or other devices, and any other activity that takes our hands off the wheel, our eyes off the road, and our mind off driving
  • Be a good example to family, friends and co-workers