Virginia Tech studies texting while driving: Drivers of heavy trucks who texted 23 times more likely to crash
With 2 Hokies in his household, Ashburn car crash lawyer Doug Landau pays special attention to the quarterly Virginia Tech Magazine. This Fall, it was revealed that the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute conducted studies of driver distraction while using cell phones and text messaging. I have previously written about the increased dangers to Loudoun Fairfax and Leesburg drivers, bikers and pedestrians presented by “distracted drivers.” Texting while driving increases the risk of a crash much more than previous studies have concluded, with motorists taking their eyes off the road longer than they do when talking or listening on their cell phones, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute reported
The institute used cameras to continuously observe light-vehicle drivers and truckers for more than 6 million miles. It found that when drivers of heavy trucks texted, their collision risk was 23 times greater than when not texting. Dialing a cell phone and using or reaching for an electronic device increased risk of collision about six times in cars and trucks, the study found.
If you or someone you know has been injured by a “distracted driver” or motorist who was texting or programming their cell or mobile phone, please contact ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. or give us a call at 703-796-9555.