Apr 21, 2016
Car AccidentsDistracted driving is a scourge on our streets and roads that puts countless innocent people at risk of being involved in an accident. The scariest thing about the phrase “distracted driving” doesn’t even necessarily mean “texting while driving” or “cellphone use while driving” — though, obviously, those are two of the major components of distracted driving. Distracted driving can also involve daydreaming drivers, radio-changing drivers and conversation-having drivers.
Here in the Bay Area, the tech capital of the world, distracted driving is certainly a prevalent and well-known problem. A recent traffic stop push in South San Francisco and Daly City highlighted some of the problems that everyone faces out on the road. 78 traffic stops were made last Friday, and 68 citations were issued as a result. 39 of those 38 citations involved cellphones in some way.
There isn’t much more to the story in terms of details, but the message is clear. With more than half of the violations involving distracted drivers that were using their cellphone, the issue of cellphone use while driving is still very prominent despite all of the evidence and safety campaigns that inform drivers of the dangers of such behavior.
Distracted drivers cause accidents every day, and thousands of people pay for it every year all across the state of California — and, really, all across the country. Unfortunately, some of these people suffer fatal injuries. If distraction can be proven on the part of another driver, then the loved ones of the deceased victim could consider legal action against that driver in the form of a wrongful death lawsuit.
Source: South San Francisco Patch, “78 Traffic Stops, 68 Citations Given in 1-Day South San Francisco Distracted Driving Operation,” Renee Schiavone, April 16, 2016
