Texans Ranked Top 20 for Most Distracted Drivers in U.S.

In the United States, distracted driving has become a pressing issue. A recent study conducted by Zendrive collected data from 3.1 million drivers in the U.S., on trips covering 5.6 billion miles between December 2016 and February 2017, and found drivers spend an average of 3.5 minutes using their phones.

According to the study, Vermont was found to be the worst state when it comes to distracted driving, with drivers using their phones for an average of 4.4 minutes per hour. On the other hand, Oregon drivers were found to be the safest in this regard, spending roughly 2.2 minutes per hour on their phones.

What about our great state of Texas? The results are not so great. Texas was ranked as the 17th worst state for distracted driving. Some Texans say they use their phones to listen to music, go online, check social media, answer a text, and just to stay reachable. While many Texas drivers are aware of the apparent correlation between distracted driving and an increase in car accidents, a large portion are still checking the latest newsfeed posts on their morning commutes. Studies show it only takes two seconds for a driver going 55 miles per hour to travel the length of two basketball courts. Considering there is a wide variety of unexpected road hazards, including road debris, animals, or stopped vehicles, it is extremely dangerous for a driver to be distracted for any amount of time. Although Texas has no state wide law that prohibits the use of handheld cell phones while driving, some north Texas cities have already implemented a full ban. Perhaps it’s time for Houston to follow suit. Police departments across Texas stress the danger of texting and driving, but many officers say that the message doesn’t seem to be getting through to the public. Let’s do our part, put down our phones, and make the friendly roads of Texas safe for everyone.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a distracted driving accident, contact an experienced attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling (713) 222-7211 or toll free at 713-222-7211.