Carroll County Law Enforcement Participates In Annual “I Will Remember You” Event

Recently, Carroll County law enforcement participated in the 13^th annual “I will remember you” remembrance event. This event remembers those who have died in preventable car crashes. Carroll County reported 15 traffic fatalities between October 2018 and October of 2019.

Preventable Car Crashes – Driving While Intoxicated

One common cause of preventable crashes involves drivers who are intoxicated. Whether under the influence of alcohol, prescription drugs, illegal drugs, or even over-the-counter drugs, the sad fact is intoxication impairs judgment. Driving while intoxicated is wholly preventable, either by designating a sober driver, taking a cab home, or simply not drinking or using drugs before getting behind the wheel.

Preventable Car Crashes – Distracted Driving

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 3,000 people were killed by distracted drivers in 2017 alone. There are all sorts of potential distractions while driving. The three common categories of distracted driving include:

• Visual distractions
• Manual distractions
• Cognitive distractions

Visual distractions can include that takes your eyes off the road. It might be looking at the scenery or gawking at an accident. It could be attempting to read a billboard or enjoying the antics of the dog in the car in the next lane.

Manual distractions involve taking your hands off the wheel. This could be to answer a call, change the radio station, or reach for a cup of coffee or a snack while driving. Manual distractions reduce your ability to respond to sudden changes in driving patterns and other unexpected events.

Cognitive distractions involve things that take your mind off driving. This could include rehashing an argument with a coworker in your mind. It might involve yelling at the kids in the back seat.

Often, distracted driving involves more than one type of distraction. For example, reading and responding to a text message while driving involves all three types of distractions.

Distracted driving is easily preventable. Drivers should keep their hands on the wheel, their eyes on the road, and their mind on the task at hand – driving.

Preventable Car Crashes – Drowsy Driving

The Governors Highway Association Report estimates approximately 5,000 people died due to drowsy driving in 2015. Studies also show drivers are three times as likely to get in an accident if they are driving while drowsy. In fact, research establishes that after 20 hours of constantly being awake, drivers have the response time that is functionally equivalent to a driver who has a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08.

Have You Lost a Loved One in a Car Crash?

If you have lost a family member in a car crash, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the lawyers at Gilman & Bedigian, LLC at 800.529.6162. We offer no-cost consultations to discuss personal injury and wrongful death cases. We are happy to speak with you about your situation. You only pay for our legal representation if we win your case. You have nothing to lose. Call today.