The California Highway Patrol is using video games to help high school students better understand the risks associated with distracted driving.
Four out of five auto collisions are linked to inattentive driving, according to data recently released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the most common cause of distracted driving is the use of a hand-held cell phone while behind the wheel. The number one cause of death among teens is an automotive collision, so teenagers talking or texting from behind the wheel can be deadly to themselves and others.
California law enforcement officials are making an extra effort to enforce the state’s cell phone ban during April, which has been declared National Distracted Driver Awareness Month.
To help reinforce the idea that inattentive driving puts people in danger, the California Highway Patrol had students at a public high school attempt to play a driving video game on a Nintendo Wii while sending a text message on their cell phones. The teens had great difficulty doing both activities simultaneously, a lesson the California Highway Patrol hopes these students apply to their real world driving.
As a Los Angeles car accident lawyer, I’m deeply saddened by the harm that has been caused by distracted drivers. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident linked to distracted driving, please consider discussing your legal options with a Los Angeles personal injury attorney.