Think You Can Use a Cell Phone and Drive Just Like You Can “Walk and Chew Gum?” Find Out The Dangers of Distracted Driving Cell Phone Use and What You Can Do About It in Mississippi
Virtually all Mississippi drivers and residents at some point or another have likely heard the phrase “I can walk and chew gum at the same time.” If you are not familiar with this popular sentiment, what it basically means is that the speaker believes that they can do two tasks at the same time, without either task suffering. However, the truth of the matter is that not all tasks are created equal, and while chewing gum and walking may be two tasks that are doable together, some tasks are just not ones that are a good pair. Using a cell phone while driving is a good example of two tasks that are just not compatible, and two tasks that when done at the same time actually lead to dangerous and even fatal car accidents. But why is using a cell phone while driving not the same as walking and chewing gum at the same time? And what can Mississippi distracted driving car accident victims do to get legal help after a serious accident occurs? We answer these questions here.
Multitasking – Efficient or an Impairment to Performance?
According to the National Safety Council, an organization committed to reducing the number of preventable injuries and deaths in the United States, multitasking, such as using a cell phone while driving a motor vehicle, “impairs performance.” Per the NSC, “A driver’s response to sudden hazards, such as another vehicle, weather conditions, work zones, animals or objects in the roadway, is often the critical factor between a crash and a near-crash. When the brain is experiencing an increased workload, information processing slows and a driver is much less likely to respond to unexpected hazards in time to avoid a crash.” The NSC further explains that “For example, people can safely walk down the sidewalk while chewing gum in a city crowded with motor vehicles and other hazards. That is because one of those tasks – chewing gum – is not a cognitively demanding task.” Finally, the punchline: “People do not perform as well when trying to accomplish two attention-demanding tasks at the same time. Even pedestrians are distracted while talking on cell phones. The solution is easy: Make driving the primary focus and perform other cognitively demanding tasks only when safely parked. Attentive drivers have a better chance of avoiding a crash with a distracted driver or pedestrian.”
Getting Legal Help with Your Distracted Driving Car Accident Case in Mississippi – Mississippi Personal Injury Lawyer
It is clear that the experts agree that using a cell phone while driving is not a good idea, and that attempting to multitask while driving can lead to serious and deadly car accidents. It is important for Mississippi drivers and residents to know that if they are injured in a serious car accident due to another person’s fault, they may be entitled to money compensation under Mississippi personal injury laws. Under Mississippi personal injury laws, victims of serious distracted driving car accidents are entitled to file a claim in court for compensation for their injuries and losses. In order to determine whether you may be owed money for your distracted driving car accident injuries, it is best to speak with an experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyer about your case.
The experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers at the law firm Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC are here to help victims of serious car accidents get justice. Contact Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC today and speak to a lawyer about your case now.
Source:
cmscdn.nsc.org/cms/nsc.org/media/site-media/docs/safe-driving/reports/understanding-driver-distraction.pdf
