With the Governors Highway Safety Association reporting a rise in the number of deaths among 16 and 17-year-old drivers between last year and previous years, many citizens are looking for solutions to the problem. According to CBS-Boston, one group is attempting to reduce these accidents by focusing on one of the most common causes of fatal accidents amongst teen motorists today: distracted driving.
An instructor with “Distractology 101”, Robert Bliss, explains that participants in the program are placed into a driving simulator and then asked to complete a series of tasks behind the wheel while responding to phone calls and text messages. The aim of the program is to show teens that taking their eyes off the road just for a split second can have deadly consequences and cause a car accident.
The program’s message is backed by numerous studies proclaiming distracted driving to be dangerous. In fact, one report showed the behavior to be as dangerous as drunk driving. Another found that motorists were 23 times more likely to crash when distracted.
The program was recently featured at Newton South High School and was praised for its success.
The Boston Personal Injury Attorneys with Jason Stone Injury Lawyers are aware of the serious risks associated with distracted driving. That’s why the firm asks that each motorist do their part to keep Massachusetts highways safe by putting your phone and other handheld electronic devices down while behind the wheel.