Most people who live in Georgia have no doubt heard reports about how dangerous distracted driving can be. Some reports even liken distracted driving to drunk driving despite the fact that the laws against distracted driving are nowhere near as strict as those related to drunk driving. Nonetheless, it seems that putting down cell phones while behind the wheel is something many people are still not willing to do.
USA Today reported recently that it seems many people’s compulsion to respond to incoming messages while driving might actually be fueled by their desire to stay on top of their professional lives. Some believe that employers can and should do more to communicate to employees the need to focus on safe driving first and answering messages second.
There may also be a generational component to the urge to stay in communication while driving. The percent of people found pushed to respond to messages or calls was far greater for those between the ages of 18 and 34 than among all other age groups. This was per a study conducted by The Zebra, an automobile insurance comparison tool and website. A total of 37% of people in the 18 to 34 age range felt it was important to reply to messages compared to only 25% of people across all other generations.
With an average of nine lives lost every day to distracted driving, that makes residents in the United States mourning the loss of 3,500 people every year. These accidents can and should be preventable if only drivers would make the choice to concentrate on driving.
