In the wake of increasing incidents of distracted driving, WSFA NBC 12’s Alabama Live Show hosted Attorney Jeff Hunter to share valuable insights on combating this peril. The detailed discussion encompasses various aspects of distracted driving and pragmatic steps to mitigate it. To dive deeper into the strategies to reduce distracted driving in Montgomery, AL, we recommend reading the accompanying article: Steps You Can Take To Reduce Distracted Driving in Montgomery, AL.
Tonya Terry, host of WSFA NBC 12’s Alabama Live Show:
Thank you. Did you know that April is Distracted Driving Awareness month? Well, we want to try and raise awareness in an effort to eliminate preventable deaths that are caused by distracted driving. Here now to tell us more about it from the Floyd Hunter Law Firm, Attorney Jeff Hunter. Thank you so much for being here.
Attorney Jeff Hunter:
Thank you for having me.
Tonya:
First of all, let’s talk about what distracted driving is. What are we talking about when we say distracted driving.
Attorney Jeff Hunter:
Sure. Distracted driving is anything that takes your eyes off the road, whether it’s the use of a cell phone, GPS device, talking to passengers in the car. Anything that takes your eyes off the road, that’s distracted driving.
Tonya:
Guilty, guilty, guilty of all three of those. I’ve done that before!
Attorney Jeff Hunter:
It is so prevalent with all the electronic devices people have now. It is a big problem. More than 600,000 people use a mobile electronic device in a car every day.
Tonya:
We depend so much on those phones. We get in the habit of–whenever it rings or dings or whatever–to look at it, but we don’t realize we’re in the car, we’re driving, and that can really lead to some major problems. And it has already. Distracted driving causes a lot of damage and deaths.
Attorney Jeff Hunter:
Yes, it does. It certainly does. There are nine people a day killed by distracted drivers. Recently in Alabaster, close to us, a teenage girl was texting and had an accident, and she died. It’s a serious problem, and, really, among young people who aren’t experienced drivers. They’re the ones who are most susceptible to it.
Tonya:
They really are, but, you know, we’re at fault, too. A lot of adults have that problem, too. So, what can we do to prevent this?
Attorney Jeff Hunter:
Well, first thing, put the phone down. Don’t use the phone in the car. Turn the radio off. Tell your passengers, “Be quiet.” Don’t be distracted by passengers. Even something as simple as eating or drinking can lead you to become a distracted driver, and those are the things that we need to focus on.
Tonya:
You know, I had to really check myself about this when my children were younger. They’re all grown now, but when they were little (and I have grandchildren now, so I might have the same issue with them being in the backseat) when you’re turning around to, maybe, check them out–it could happen like that!
Attorney Jeff Hunter:
That’s exactly right. If you closed your eyes or took your eyes off the road for five seconds at 55 miles per hour, you would travel the length of a football field, and people don’t realize how much distance they will cover.
Tonya:
Yeah!
Attorney Jeff Hunter:
And something can happen in an instant.
Tonya:
Yeah. So, when you talk about these statistics though, in Alabama is it worse than any other states, or are we kind of–where are we on the list?
Attorney Jeff Hunter:
I think every state is pretty much the same. Obviously, more populous states are going to have more people that are driving distracted, but I think, on average, Alabama is about in there
with everybody else.
Tonya:
Yeah, it’s kind of–like I said–it’s a habit now to maybe use it. You got to turn that around and make it a habit to put it away when you get in the car.
Attorney Jeff Hunter:
That’s right, and a lot of phones now–Apple, Android–they have a feature in their settings that you can turn off the phone when you’re in the car. I would urge everyone to use that option on their phones when they drive.
Tonya:
Okay, so if we want to find out more about this and what we can do and tips like that–another thing too before I ask you that question: I was just thinking about one of the things, too, that the ladies do is applying makeup. I’ve been known to do that, too.
Attorney Jeff Hunter:
Well, I wasn’t going to bring it up, but certainly. Makeup, hair–doing your hair, doing your lipstick, obviously takes your eyes off the road, so ladies, be careful.
Tonya:
Yeah, and maybe give yourself a little extra time because most of the time those things that you’re doing that distract you might have something to do with you not having enough time to get wherever you’re going. That’s been the case for me. So, if they want to find out more about this and more, maybe if they’re involved in an accident like that where somebody is distracted, how could they contact you guys?
Attorney Jeff Hunter:
They can contact us at 452-4000, and we’ll be happy to talk with them.
Tonya:
Thank you so much for being here.
Attorney Jeff Hunter:
Thank you.
If you or someone you know has been hurt in a car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, or pedestrian accident with a distracted driver, seeking compensation is a huge step towards justice and recovery. The insights from Attorney Jeff Hunter underscore the gravity of distracted driving and the importance of legal recourse. Don’t hesitate to call us for professional guidance and support in your pursuit of compensation.