Car accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers in America, according to a story in the Orlando Sentinel. And it appears that Orlando’s teen drivers still won’t heed the warnings about the dangers of distracted driving. The most distracted drivers in the country are in Florida, according to the Department of Highway Safety, and the most distracted drivers in Florida are in the greater Orlando area. Of the 45,000 distracted driving accidents in Florida last year, 5,000 of them happened in Orange County. Experts say that teenagers making phone calls and texting while driving are one reason for the increasing popularity of Orlando car accident attorneys, where injured victims seek recompense.
Teenagers are a difficult group to reach with messages about what’s good for them, and experts are getting creative. An ad in a campaign by the government of South Africa has gone viral. Part of the #ItCanWait campaign, the ad is an international success, with billions of views on various platforms.
Florida Legislators and Law Enforcement Take Action
Florida is one of the few states where texting and driving is a “secondary offense”. Police can’t pull you over if their only reason is that you were texting at the wheel. Legislators are trying to change that. “Currently, they can see a 17-year-old looking on Google Maps, texting, and they cannot pull that driver over,” State Rep. Emily Slosberg told the Orlando Sentinel. “Distracted driving fatalities and distracted driving injuries are increasing. This is preventable. Our law should be addressing this.”
Meanwhile, Florida State Troopers say they will do what they can to educate drivers – especially teens – to the dangers of distracted driving.
If you or a loved one has been injured because of distracted driving, call the Orlando car accident attorneys at Martinez Manglardi at 1-888-447-094 for a free consultation in offices throughout Florida.
