Could Strict Speed Enforcement Lead To More Distracted Driving Accidents?

Speed limits are established and enforced for the safety of drivers in mind, and to prevent vehicle accidents and personal injuries from occurring, however, is it possible that strict speed enforcement could actually contribute to making drivers more dangerous? One new study suggests just that. It found that constantly checking the speedometer could be a contributing factor that causes distracted driving accidents to occur.

ABC aired a report about distracted driving that was conducted in Australia that found that drivers were much more likely to closely monitor their speedometer while driving in areas that strictly enforce speed limits, which distract them from potential hazards while driving. Think about how often you check your own speed. It only takes having your attention diverted for a fraction of a second for a potentially serious or life-threatening incident to occur.

What Is Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as including all activities that divert your attention while behind the wheel. Texting or calling on a cell phone gets the most attention for causing distracted driving, but there are also more subtle distractions that can cause accidents, such as changing the radio station, adjusting a GPS setting, eating or drinking, or even talking to the passengers.

There are three primary causes of driver distraction:

• Visual: Includes anything that could cause you to look away from the road
• Manual: Includes anything that could cause you to let go of the steering wheel
• Cognitive: Includes anything that could cause you to think of something other than the task of driving, resulting in delayed response times

Distracted driving causes more accidents and injuries than anything else in the United States, according to the CDC. It’s responsible for as many as 20% of all motor vehicle accidents, resulting in up to 1,000 injuries every day.

Distracted Driving In Houston

According to statistics provided by the Department of Transportation, there are more than 100,000 accidents related to driver distraction in Texas every year, more than 6,000 of which occur in the Houston area alone. Although some of these accidents could be attributed to the failure of the city to pass a law banning cell phones and texting while driving as has been done in many other Texas cities, research does suggest that other causes, such as glancing at the speedometer in traffic enforcement zones, could be a contributing factor.

If you or someone that you care about has been injured in a distracted driving or speed related accident, Butler Law Firm is here to help you. We’re top Houston lawyers, specializing in accident law, who will provide aggressive legal representation to ensure that the at-fault driver is held accountable for your injuries. We’ll help you to get all the compensation that you deserve. Call or contact us today for your free case consultation.