It is a sad reality that hundreds of lives are lost on Houston freeways each year. Perhaps the hardest thing to understand is that many accidents could be prevented if drivers simply focused on the road ahead of them with an air of caution.
More often than not, though, if you glance at the vehicles around you - you will find drivers who are distracted. They are giving their attention to any number of activities. If you're looking you'll observe drivers who are putting on make-up, doing their hair, chatting it up on their cell phones, dining on any number of fast food delicacies, changing stations on a radio, mediating childhood tiffs in the backseat, or putting movies in the dvd player.
I've even seen automobiles equipped with satellite televisions in the front so the driver can watch television while he's motoring! What does this add up to? The result is hundreds of near misses on the highways and an average of one death a day in our fair city alone.
This begs the question - what can be done? In today's tight economic times it's unlikely that there would be a greater police presence on the roads that could act as a deterrent to this problem.
I suggest there needs to be a massive and very public relations campaign to rival that put on by the MADD organization. Only this one would graphically inform people that distracted driving is no less dangerous than drinking and driving - with the same deadly consequences.
Greg Baumgartner is a Houston personal injury attorney and also the founder of the Baumgartner law firm, Which is dedicated to helping injury victims recover civil justice. If you or loved one have been injured in a Houston car accident contact the Baumgartner law firm for a no obligation consultation.
