Conference addresses problem of distracted driving in Texas

With roughly 3,000 Texas dying every year due to roadway accidents, law enforcement officials and safety experts are continually attempting to come up with new strategies and efforts to increase traffic safety.

Last month, San Antonio hosted what is known as the Traffic Safety Conference, which involves a collaboration of experts in transportation safety. The 2014 meeting, while addressing various issues related to traffic safety, but focus on two particular problems: wrong-way accidents and distracted driving.
Distracted driving, of course, is a problem not only in Texas but also nationwide. States have attempted to address the problem by banning some or all drivers from texting and/or talking. Texas, for its part, bans all cell phone use, including texting, for bus drivers and novice drivers. All drivers in Texas are banned from texting or talking in school zones. These laws are helpful to an extent, but it isn’t always easy for officers to enforce them.

According to experts at the Traffic Safety Conference, underestimating the amount of time they take their eyes off the road is a very common problem among drivers. Along with that, many drivers tend to believe that they are more skilled motorists than they really are. This can lead to engaging in more risky or illegal behaviors. Hopefully some good will come out of the collaboration of transportation safety experts in addresses these pressing problems.

Motor vehicle accidents can have an enormous negative impact on those involved in them, and drivers who choose to take risks and put other motorists at risk deserve to be held accountable when they cause harm or death to others. Crash victims ought to work with an experienced attorney when pursuing legal action against a negligent driver. Doing so will help ensure they have the best possible opportunity for recovery.

Source: Ksat.com, “Conference addresses issue of wrong-way drivers, distracted drivers,” Justine Home, May 13, 2014. Distraction.gov, “Distracted Driving: State Laws,” Accessed June 5, 2014.