In 2020, 10,166 crashes in Colorado involved a distracted driver. Of these crashes there were 1,476 injuries and 68 deaths (CDOT, "Distracted Driving").
Distracted driving occurs at any moment that focus is taken away from the road. Texting and driving, looking after children or pets in the back seat, talking on the phone, to a passenger, watching a video, eating or reading are all examples of distracted driving.
In a CDOT 2021 annual survey of Colorado drivers for the week prior to the survey the respondents replied as such (CDOT, "Distracted Driving"):
- 91% reported driving distracted in the past seven days;
- 54% admitted to reading a message on their phone;
- Nearly 50% talked on a cell phone while driving;
-41% sent a message while driving.
TEXTING AND DRIVING IS ILLEGAL FOR DRIVERS OF ALL AGES IN COLORADO. Please see C.R.S. § 42-4-239 for more detailed information.
When operating your vehicle, make sure paying attention to the road is your priority. Place your phone in an area that is accessible in case of emergency, but where it will not tempt you to be on it. If you have something urgent or emergent that needs to be taken care of while you are driving, it is best practice to pull over and stop in a safe area to handle the issue. Make sure you get home safe to your family, do not drive distracted.
Have you or someone you know been involved in an auto collision due to someone else's distracted driving? Contact Travis Legal Offices, LLC today to get help on your matter. You can reach us by phone for a FREE consultation at (303) 766-8766 or through our online form.
