There’s a Time and a Place For Smartphones - Not While Driving

Smartphones have done a lot of good since their invention over a decade ago. These days, with millions of apps available to the public, it seems that you can do just about anything with these little devices. However, as with all technology, there is a time and a place. That time and place is not when you are behind the wheel of a car.

Accidents caused by distracted driving have risen at alarming rates in recent years. We all know the dangers; we have all read the stories of the driver who was too busy sending a text message to notice an impending collision. We all know the facts, and yet we still text and drive.

It’s so much more than a phone

One reason for this jump is simply the sheer number of smartphones in use these days. According to a recent Bloomberg article, more than 8 out of 10 Americans own smartphones. Though the core of the device is a phone, that is no longer its primary function. Most people use their smartphones to interact on various social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If a driver is distracted by their phone while they are operating a motor vehicle, it is most likely because they are using one of those apps.

Jennifer Smith knows the dangers of distracted driving too well. Smith’s mother lost her life after her car was hit by a man who was more focused on his phone than the road ahead. After that tragic event, Jennifer honored her mother’s memory by creating StopDistractions.org, a nonprofit organization dedicated to “eliminating the lifelong devastation that results when a loved one is killed or injured in a distracted driving crash.” She is hoping that her work will help prevent future families’ pain and suffering.

Your friends and followers can wait

Whenever you get behind the wheel, you should always put down your smartphone and pay attention to the road ahead. However, even when you drive responsibly, there is no guarantee that others will do the same.

Florida car accident lawyers are all too familiar with the dangers caused by distracted driving. The attorneys at The Law Office of Brent C. Miller have helped hundreds of people over the last 26 years, and they are standing by to help you as well. If you or a loved one have been injured by a distracted driver, contact us today. We will fight to make things right for you and your family.