A Tacoma personal injury lawyer talks about how to Prevent Distracted Driving During the Holidays

Distracted driving is claiming thousands of lives and causing even more personal injuries on our roadways. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly 6,000 people were killed and 500,000 injured in car accidents involving distracted driving in 2008. Distracted driving was responsible for 12 percent of all fatal auto accidents in 2004, but that number has risen to 16 percent in 2008. With advancement in communications technologies comes the danger of driving while talking on a cell phone, texting or checking for directions on a GPS device. During this holiday season, as you hit the road, please be mindful of these dangers and make sure that your attention is on the roadway. It is illegal in Washington State to text while you drive or to talk on a hand held cell phone device as you are driving.