Missouri Injury Law Blog

We've all read about the multitude of dangers associated with distracted driving and how risky the behavior can be for everyone on Missouri roadways. But what about distracted walking?

According a recent article in the publication Injury Prevention, the injury or death rate of pedestrians distracted by their electronic gadgets - headphones, cell phones, and iPads - who are hit by moving vehicles has tripled in the United States since 2004.

One of the most vulnerable groups are those listening to incredibly loud music. Pedestrians wearing headphones or ear buds can become so absorbed in their activity that they completely forget about what's going on around them, just like distracted drivers engrossed in text messaging. When distracted, pedestrians are more likely to walk slower, not pay attention to traffic before crossing a road, and are more likely to walk in front of an oncoming vehicle.

Researchers dealing with the issue of distracted walking at the University of Maryland reviewed 116 incidents that occurred from 2004 to 2011 in which injured pedestrians were found to have been using headphones. The mortality rate was shocking: 70% of such accidents resulted in death. The study also revealed that there is one particular group that is most likely to engage in distracted walking: young males. More than two-thirds of victims of these accidents were males under the age of 30.

As our ever-increasing array of tools for distraction increase, so does our risk of possible injury. Drivers and walkers alike enter their own world and forget about the one around them, the one where innocent bystanders can have their lives changed in an instant due to careless actions. As children are set to begin their summer breaks now's an important time to remind kids about the dangers of both distracted driving and distracted walking or bike riding. Take the following tips to heart if you're a driver or a pedestrian.

Drivers:

Make sure to pay special attention to bicyclists and pedestrians, even if they appear to be safely off the road.

Avoid distracted driving. That means no texting or email checking while cruising down the road.

When you're in residential neighborhoods watch your speed, children can dart out into the road at any time, leaving you only seconds to come to a complete stop.

As always, yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.

Pedestrians:

You too have to avoid distractions such as talking, texting, and wearing headphones. Be aware of your surroundings.

Stop and carefully look both ways before crossing the street.

Follow posted traffic laws and pay special attention on busy roadways.

Try hard to make eye contact with drivers to ensure that they know you are there.

Multi-tasking on our roadways whether in a car or on foot is dangerous activity and we should all work to reduce the instances of accidents that occur as a result. For information on how to protect your legal rights if you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident, call one of our Jefferson County car accident attorneys today at 314-863-0500.

Source: "Headphone use and pedestrian injury and death in the United States," by Richard Lichenstein, published at InjuryPrevention.BMJ.com.

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Missouri Takes Aim At Distracted Driving

A federal law that aims to reduce number of truck and commercial vehicle accidents and injury caused by distracted driving has recently gone into effect. The law, which took effect at the beginning of this year, affects nearly 4 million truck and bus drivers, plus millions of other commercial drivers who work for businesses both large and small.

The recently passed law prohibits commercial vehicle drivers from using hand-held cellphones while the vehicle is in motion. The ban applies to operators of commercial vehicles, defined as those vehicles weighing more than 10,000 pounds which cross state lines for business purposes or any other vehicle weighing more than 26,000 pounds which includes all sorts of vehicles from tractor-trailers to large delivery trucks.

The ban imposes stiff fines for drivers who violate the law. For each offense, violators face a civil penalty of up to $2,750. If a driver is a repeat offender, he or she can lose their commercial vehicle operator's license. Even more seriously, drivers who commit two major violations within a three-year period will lose their driving privileges for at least 60 days. If there are three or more violations within three years, the penalty is a suspended license for 120 days, something that will hit operators of commercial vehicles where it counts: their wallets.

Drivers are not the only ones who can be penalized under the new law; companies can be held responsible as well. Any company that allows or requires their employees to use hand-held cellphones while driving the company or other work-related vehicle can be fined up to $11,000. Holding the employers' feet to the fire is another method of ensuring that all steps are taken to encourage the safe operation of commercial vehicles. To comply with the law, many companies and organizations are scrambling to draft and implement internal policies prohibiting cellphone use while on company business.

However, as many Missouri personal injury attorneys can tell you, even the best plans to rid the roads of distracted drivers won't stop some from refusing to behave responsibly behind the wheel. The St. Louis injury lawyers at Sansone / Lauber believe that the best way to protect yourself against distracted driving by commercial vehicles is to pay special attention while driving and carefully watch the road ahead of you. For information on how to protect your legal rights if you or a loved one has been seriously injured, call one of our Missouri car accident attorneys today at 1-314-863-0500.

Source: "Companies weigh risks of distracted driving" by Larry Copeland, published at USAToday.com.

See Our Related Blog Posts:
The biggest driving distraction might just be... your car?

Missouri Takes Aim At Distracted Driving