A new type of impaired driving in Connecticut
Did you know that last December was National Impaired Driving Prevention Month? President Obama gave the month this title to help raise awareness for the dangers of being impaired in any way while behind the wheel. Many people think of drugs and alcohol when they think of impaired driving, but it is important to remember that distracted driving can be dangerous as well.
The problem is that advances in technology mean that it can lure drivers away from keeping their attention on the road. People are constantly exchanging text messages and emails, which can often be accessed on a smartphone, and so there is a high probability that some of these messages will come in while people are driving. Using these devices, though, can put everyone in harm’s way.
Recent data has shown that drunk driving is getting to be less of an issue all of the time. For example, between just 2005 and 2012, a period that is not even a decade long, DUI deaths per person dipped by an incredible 28 percent. When you look back farther — to the 1970s, for instance — this trend can be traced over the years.
At the same time, though, distracted and impaired driving for other reasons has gotten worse. When looking at people who had been spotted “visibly manipulating” their mobile devices while driving, the totals soared from 2005 to 2012, increasing by a grand total of 650 percent. While this does not necessarily mean that accidents also went up by 650 percent, it shows how widespread technology use in the car has become.
If you have been accused of driving while impaired for any reason, make sure that you understand your rights, including the right to a fair trial in Connecticut and to legal representation.
Source: ctpost.com, “During “National Impaired Driving Prevention Month,” Be Mindful of Distracted Driving” Dec. 29, 2014