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Kentucky Receives Grant to Fight Distracted Driving

Distracted driver using their cell phone

Officials want to put a stop to car accidents caused by distracted drivers.

The chance of a fatal car accident happening increases tremendously when a driver is distracted.

Distracted drivers risk their own lives as well as the lives of their passengers, other drivers, and pedestrians. To help combat the problem, Kentucky and six other states are getting safe driving grants from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and General Motors.

Kentucky's distracted driving grant

Kentucky will receive about $30,000, according to the GHSA. The funding will support testing new initiatives and expanding on already existing programs. Kentucky will also use the grant to collect stronger data, advocate for more road safety laws, and educate young and inexperienced drivers about the dangers of distracted driving.

In the end, state safety officials hope to create a strong and effective message about safe driving that reaches specific groups of people most likely to drive distracted.

Types of distracted driving

Distracted driving impacts thousands of people in the United States every year. According to the Federal Communications Commission, more than 3,100 people died in distracted driving accidents in 2019.

Distracted driving is any activity that takes a driver's attention away from driving. According to EndDD.org, there are three different types of distracted driving:

  • Manual distractions like using your hands to search for an item in the car while driving.
  • Visual distractions like staring at a billboard.
  • Cognitive distractions like daydreaming.

Texting and driving is considered one of the most dangerous forms of distracted driving since it is considered a manual distraction (holding the phone), visual distraction (looking at the phone screen), and cognitive distraction (thinking about what you just read or sent).

The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety gives examples of other distractions, such as adjusting the radio, talking to passengers, and eating while driving.

The dangers of distracted driving

Again, texting and driving combine all three types of distractions. An accident can happen in a blink of an eye, which makes cell phone use while driving extremely dangerous. Many people acknowledge the dangers but admit to partaking in distracted driving. Some statistics about the dangers of distracted driving include the following:

  • Some people are just as impaired when talking on a phone as they are if they drive drunk.
  • Cell phone use was a factor in 13 percent of fatal distracted driving accidents, according to Forbes Advisor.
  • Texting and driving increases the risk of an accident by 23 times for commercial drivers.

Legal help for injured crash victims

Distracted drivers should be held accountable for their negligence. If you or a loved one was hurt in an accident in Louisville caused by a distracted driver, you should learn about your legal options.

At The Whaley Law Firm, we've been protecting the rights of accident victims in the Louisville area for years. We won't stop until we get you the justice and financial compensation you deserve. To learn how a Louisville car accident lawyer can help you, contact us today for a free consultation.

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