Kansas City Car Accident Lawyer Blog

It's no secret that distracted drivers pose a serious threat to roadway safety. Federal research reveals that using a cell phone while driving (either handheld or hands-free) impairs a driver's reaction time as much as having a blood alcohol content of 0.08%. In this post, our Kansas City personal injury lawyers discuss recent research on the problem of distracted driving and recommend a few strategies to help Missouri drivers avoid distraction-related crashes.

Americans and cell phones: Statistics from the Pew Research Center

• 2012 findings from the Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project indicate that approximately 87% of adults in the U.S. now own a cell phone.

• Of that number, about 45% own a smartphone, and 55% report using their mobile phones to access the internet (nearly double the number reported in 2009).

• Americans send almost 200 billion text messages every single month (up nearly 50% compared to 2009).

• Around 67% of cell phone users report checking their phones for messages and notifications even if they don't hear a notification sound come from the device - in fact, 18% of cell phone owners reported doing so "frequently."

Distracted driving in the United States: Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control

• According to a CDC survey, 69% of Americans between ages 18 and 64 admitted to talking on their cell phones while driving within the previous 30 days. In addition, 31% of respondents said they had texted while driving within the past month.

• The problem of cell phone use among drivers is worse in the U.S. than it is overseas. The survey, which included seven European countries, found that drivers were the least likely to text in Britain, where distracted driving laws are very strict. Only 21% of drivers in Britain admitted to talking on the phone while driving within the previous 30 days.

• In 2011, 3,331 people were killed and 387,000 were injured in U.S. crashes where distraction was reported as a contributing factor.

Continue reading "Distraction remains a serious roadway safety issue in Missouri & nationwide" »

Distracted drivers continue to be a serious threat to roadway safety in Kansas City and throughout the U.S. Despite numerous campaigns designed to raise awareness about the dangers of driving distracted, many motorists continue to divide their focus between driving and another task (often cell phone use). In this post, our Missouri car accident lawyers explain the basic facts about distraction and discuss its impact on driving performance.

What is distraction?

There are four basic forms of distraction that can impact a driver's performance:

• Visual distractions. A driver is looking at something other than the road.
• Auditory distractions. A driver is listening to something unrelated to the task of driving.
• Manual distractions. A driver is doing something with his hands other than steering.
• Cognitive distractions. A driver is thinking about something unrelated to the task of driving.

Research indicates that certain activities are particularly dangerous for drivers because they create more than one form of distraction. For example, texting causes visual, manual, and cognitive distraction, and as such, it can be especially lethal when you're behind the wheel. A texting driver's crash risk is 23 times higher than an undistracted driver's.

Talking on a cell phone can also prove to be deadly. Using a phone while driving causes a 37% reduction in the amount of brain activity associated with driving, and hands-free phones are not believed to be substantially safer than hand-held devices.

Distracted driving statistics:

• A study conducted by the Governor's Highway Safety Association (GHSA) observed 100 drivers for a year and found that those drivers were distracted between 25% and 50% of the time.

• In recent GHSA surveys, approximately 2/3 of respondents admitted to using a cell phone while driving, with about 1/3 reporting that they did so routinely.

• While some drivers believe they can "multitask" and safely drive while using a phone, research suggests that such a thing is not possible. According to a new study from the University of Utah, "Drivers who believe they are skilled at multitasking...actually are the least likely to be capable of safely doing so, a new study reveals. In fact, drivers who multitask may be inclined to do so because they have difficult focusing closely on even a single task."

• Here in Missouri, cell phone use was a contributing factor in more than 1,780 auto accidents in 2009.

Continue reading "Distraction & Missouri car accidents: Facts and statistics for Kansas City drivers" »

Recently, the National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA) released its 2011 Motor Vehicle Crashes - Overview. The NCSA, an office of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), provides analytical and statistical data to several agencies within the roadway safety community. According to the Overview, 32,367 people died and about 2.22 million more were injured in 2011 auto accidents throughout the U.S. In this post, our Kansas City personal injury lawyers highlight a few of the Overview's notable points. In general, the NCSA's findings suggest that the main factors contributing to auto accidents and injuries aren't new - in fact, they're issues that most drivers will find disturbingly familiar.

Common Sense Safety Lessons from the NCSA's Overview of 2011 Motor Vehicle Crashes

• Don't drink and drive. The NCSA says drunk drivers contributed to approximately 31% of all 2011 crash fatalities. Despite numerous safety campaigns and enhanced enforcement initiatives, drunk drivers are still on the road, causing serious, even fatal accidents: in 2011, there was an average of one alcohol-related driving death every 53 minutes. And all too often, the victims of these accidents are innocent motorists who are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Remember, drunk driving accidents are 100% preventable. If you've been drinking, don't get behind the wheel.

• Wear your seat belt. It's no secret that seat belts significantly reduce your risk of serious injury in the event of a car accident. Between 2004 and 2008, seat belts saved more than 75,000 lives. And yet, the NCSA found that more than half of people who died in 2011 crashes had failed to buckle up. In Missouri, seven out of 10 people killed in 2011 accidents were unrestrained. Wearing your seat belt is one of the easiest, most effective ways to protect yourself as you travel.

• Pay attention to the road. When we hear about a distracted driving crash in the news, many of us automatically assume that the driver was texting. However, a distracted driver can be engaged in virtually any activity that diverts his or her attention from the principal task of driving. The NCSA reports that 3,331 people died - and approximately 387,000 more suffered injury - in 2011 crashes where distraction was a contributing factor.

Continue reading "Impaired drivers, distracted drivers contribute to Kansas City car crashes" »

This week, a 16 year-old girl from Kansas City, Missouri is facing multiple criminal charges after her decision to text and drive proved to have fatal consequences. Platte County prosecutors have charged Rachel N. Gannon with second-degree involuntary manslaughter in connection with her role in a fatal car accident in September 2011. Gannon is the first person to face manslaughter charges under Missouri's 2009 texting law, which prohibits texting and driving in motorists aged 21 and under.

When the crash occurred, according to police, Gannon was traveling north on Northwest Skyview Road and ran off the right side of the roadway. She then overcorrected, jerking her vehicle back onto the road, crossing the center line, and slamming sideways into a southbound vehicle.

The driver of that car, 72 year-old Loretta Larimer, had to be cut from her vehicle: she was taken to a local hospital where she died as a result of her injuries. Larimer's passenger (her 10 year-old granddaughter, who was riding in the backseat) was also injured: she suffered a chipped arm bone, whiplash and bruising.

In their investigation, police determined that Gannon was looking at her cell phone and sending text messages when the accident occurred. In addition, a passenger in Gannon's car told police that Gannon was texting, and that she "had the music turned up too loud," reports The Daily Mail.

In addition to manslaughter, Gannon is also facing charges of third-degree assault and texting while driving. At present, texting and driving is permissible for drivers over 21, but many Missouri lawmakers, safety organizations and citizens have advocated for a statewide ban on texting and driving for all drivers. Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd told several Kansas City media outlets that he too would support such a ban: "Texting while driving is at least as dangerous as drinking and driving," Zahnd said. "We make a crime of that for anybody, no matter the age. It should also be a crime for anybody to text while driving."

Continue reading "Kansas City Girl, Age 16, Charged with Manslaughter After Fatal Wreck Caused By Texting & Driving" »

Today, advocates of a Missouri ban on texting met with a House committee, reports the Kansas City Star. A trauma specialist, an insurance representative, a cycling advocate, and a high school student were among those who spoke to lawmakers about enacting the ban. 35 states and Washington D.C. already have similar bans in place. Safety advocates have pressed for Missouri to adopt a similar ban ever since the National Transportation Safety Board called for a nationwide ban on hand-held cell phones - and cited a Missouri wreck in making that recommendation.

Our Kansas City car accident lawyers urge residents to use their time behind the wheel focusing on the road instead of on phone calls or text messages. Numerous studies have proven that taking your eyes off the road to look at your cell phone greatly increases your chance of being involved in a serious accident. Since a reported 90% of drivers now carry cell phones, Missouri needs this texting ban now more than ever.

In recent months, Missourians have been urged, through a statewide anti-texting while driving campaign, to put down their cell phone to prevent distracted-driving car accidents throughout our state. Distracted driving is among the leading causes of serious -- and fatal -- car accidents nationwide.

"Inattention is a leading cause of traffic crashes," said Colonel Ron Replogle, superintendent of the Missouri Highway Patrol. "If you're focused on sending a text message, then you aren't paying attention to your driving. Cell phone usage -- particularly texting while driving can lead to tragic consequences. These consequences are easily preventable if drivers would simply put down their phones and focus on the road."

Continue reading "Safety Advocates Press Missouri Legislature to Adopt Statewide Ban on Texting and Driving" »