There would be many people in Billings, Montana, who would agree that texting and driving may not be such a good idea. However, those who do not agree need to understand that every year, thousands of people are injured in the United States in car accidents caused by distracted drivers.
According to the latest available figures from the U.S. Government, 3,360 and 3,328 people were killed by distracted-driving crashes in 2011 and 2012, respectively. In addition to that, in 2012, an estimated 421,000 people were injured in auto accidents that involved a distracted driver. This figure was considerably higher considering that 387,000 people were injured in similar incidents in 2011.
Recently, law enforcement agencies in Montana have been urging people not to use cell phones for texting while operating a motor vehicle. The appeal came as a part of the National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, which is observed during the month of April across the United States.
Interestingly, a recent study by Carnegie Mellon University found that the use of a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle reduces a driver's focus on the road by 37 percent. When a person is texting and driving at the same time, his or her hands, eyes and mind are focused on the text message instead of on the road. Eventually, this may lead to a lapse in concentration, which can result in a horrific accident.
If a person is injured in an accident that is caused by a distracted driver, he or she can claim compensation for expenses incurred for medical treatment, wages lost due to absence from work and pain and suffering. If the victim finds it challenging to claim what he or she rightfully deserves, consulting a lawyer may help. After all, texting and driving is illegal in most places in the United States and is now being universally acknowledged as an ever-increasing danger.