{"id":35129,"date":"2025-04-02T07:00:32","date_gmt":"2025-04-02T12:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.terrybryant.com\/?p=35129"},"modified":"2025-05-23T06:04:17","modified_gmt":"2025-05-23T11:04:17","slug":"three-driving-habits-kill-20-thousand-every-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.terrybryant.com\/blogs\/three-driving-habits-kill-20-thousand-every-year","title":{"rendered":"These 3 Bad Driving Habits Kill More Than 20,000 Every Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

Impaired driving, speeding, and texting behind the wheel collectively kill tens of thousands of Americans every year. If you\u2019ve suffered injuries in an accident and the other driver was drunk, distracted, or driving too quickly, you shouldn\u2019t take it lying down. Consulting with a reputable car accident lawyer<\/a> will allow you to learn about your rights and potential entitlements.<\/p>

<\/div>\n

Impaired Driving<\/h2>\n

Drunk driving kills one person every 39 minutes<\/a> in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The problem is especially potent here in the Lone Star State; according to a study<\/a> by the Texas Department of Transportation, 37% of the road fatalities in our state from 2012-2021 involved alcohol, drugs, or both.<\/p>\n

Driving under the influence of drugs is illegal, just as driving while drunk is. However, the rules for each are slightly different.<\/p>\n

While it\u2019s a criminal offense to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) higher than 0.08%, there is no equivalent minimum for recreational drugs. Instead, it\u2019s up to police officers to judge whether a driver is unable to safely operate their vehicle because of drug use. There is also currently no roadside test in place to test for the presence of drugs in someone\u2019s system, the way a breathalyzer tests for alcohol.<\/p>\n

While the legal blood alcohol concentration limit is 0.08% in most states, some analysts believe it should be lower. In its March 2023<\/a> safety briefing, the NTSB recommended lowering the legal limit to 0.05% across all American states and territories. The agency estimates that this change would save around 1,700 lives every year in the U.S.<\/p>\n

Speeding<\/h2>\n

According to the NHTSA, there were over 12,000 speeding-related fatalities<\/a> across the country in 2021.<\/p>\n

The agency notes that time shortages are not the only reason people drive too fast. A driver can often develop a \u201csense of detachment\u201d in their car, forgetting that they\u2019re actively involved in their surroundings. This dissociation can cause people to drive too quickly.<\/p>\n

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) regularly makes recommendations to make all forms of transport in the U.S. safer. In November 2023<\/a>, the agency called for the introduction of \u201ctechnology to reduce speeding\u201d in all new cars. Intelligent speed assistance technology (ISA) uses both passive and active interventions to try to get drivers to slow down.<\/p>\n

Texting<\/h2>\n

Distracted driving is such a big issue in Texas that the Department of Transportation has launched a specific campaign to deal with it. The annual \u201cTalk. Text. Crash.\u201d<\/a> scheme aims to highlight the dangers of distracted driving and appeal to drivers to stay focused on the road. The campaign website notes that almost 1 in every 6 crashes on Texas roads in 2022 was caused by a distracted driver.<\/p>\n

Though cell phone use is the biggest source of driver distraction, it\u2019s not the only one. Other activities that often take focus away from the road include:<\/p>\n