Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Distracted driving behaviors are the cause of approximately 8,000 car accidents in Illinois and throughout the country daily. This is why for the third straight year, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has claimed the week of October 2-8 as Heads-Up Driving Week.

Car accident attorneys in Cook County, Will County and Kane County know that even some of the littlest things can cause a distraction while we drive. For example, swatting at a fly that is annoyingly buzzing around your head while you drive can cause a motorist to take their hand, eyes and mind all off the road at the same time. This type of slight behavior and lapse in focus is what causes so many deaths and injuries in car crashes hourly on our nation's roadways.

One of the crucial problems related to distracted driving is the urge that motorists have to multi-task while driving. Most see downtime while driving as an opportunity to make or cancel appointments, check your Facebook page, check in with your family, make a to-do list for the week or get updated on current events or sports scores.

Unfortunately, these behaviors all force drivers to take their focus off the most important task, which is driving. Studies have shown recently that drivers spend more than 50 percent of their time distracted behind the wheel. A recent study by the University of Utah has actually confirmed that our brains don't really have the capacity to multi-task. Researchers have found that performance level goes down as we attempt to direct our attention to different facets.

Another crucial problem is driver attitude. Safety advocates must feel like they are talking to a brick wall sometimes when it comes to conveying the dangers of distractions behind the wheel. Most motorists understand the dangers, but studies have shown that at any given daylight hour, more than 10 percent of cell phone users are operating a vehicle.

Sadly, 94 percent of those surveyed in the 2011 Traffic Safety Culture Index admit that texting or emailing is dangerous and yet a third confess to practicing the dangerous behavior while operating a vehicle in the last month. Many adult drivers incorporate a "do as I say, not as I do" attitude which makes teaching driving safety to young drivers all that more difficult. Until drivers start practicing what they preach, roadways will continue to be a danger to all motorists when it comes to distracted, drunk or drowsy driving accidents.

For the week of October 2-8, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is asking drivers to eliminate all the distractions inside your vehicle and focus only on the road. Not only can you personally make the pledge to drive distraction-free but talk to co-workers, friends and family members about doing the same. Trying it for a week could just be enough to get you jump-started to driving safely for a month, year or forever.