A traffic investigation revealed distracted drivers and distracted pedestrians make the roadways dangerous on Halloween. An increase in the number of traffic accidents in the U.S. involving teenagers has researchers taking a closer look at not only distractive driving but distracted walking as well.
Safe Kids Worldwide released a report that found that distracted walking and distracted driving are two of the biggest threats for students traveling to school. The report shows a concerning number of traffic accidents for children and teens are increasing. According to the Safe Kids Worldwide report, deadly crashes involving teen pedestrians have increased 13 percent in the last two years in the U.S.
During the study, researchers observed a group of nearly 40 thousand walkers traveling to and from school. Researchers discovered that it is not just an increased of drivers hitting walkers, but distracted students not watching where they are going. Safe Kids Worldwide found a large number of accidents caused by distracted teens. Among the distraction causing teens to disregard the rules of the road were wearing headphones, texting, talking and sometimes doing all three.
According to Safe Kids Worldwide, researchers note the increase in teen traffic accidents also is directly related to the increase in teens who own phones. Researchers say almost 90 percent of teens own cell phones. This number is up from 2004 when just 44 percent owned cell phones. This connection between phones and distraction-related traffic accidents has resulted in major consequences across the nation. The report notes that 50 percent of distracted teens walking to and from school were wearing headphones and 33 percent were texting.
Distracted drivers are a danger to Missouri roadways with Missouri having one of the most lenient traffic laws in the Nation. The traffic accident attorneys at Meyerkord & Kurth, LLC, are committed to helping innocent victims who have been hurt by a distracted driver. Contact our law offices to schedule your traffic accident case review.