Sept. 17, 2012
Talking or texting on a cell phone while driving is a dangerous behavior that experts say is responsible for killing 6,000 drivers each year while injuring another 500,000. Colorado’s 9 News reports that an effort to combat distracted driving was launched by a Colorado Springs-based program called “In Just Three Seconds.” The program was hosted at Lutheran High School for the Douglas County Young Marines.
James Forrest, the program’s director, says a short, three-second count is all it takes to distract a driver long enough to have a Denver Car Accident like his group simulates. The mock crash involved a collision between two vehicles caused by a distracted driving accident resulting in casualties and injuries.
The Parker Police, Douglas County Sheriff’s Department, and other authorities and emergency teams responded to the scene and used the program as practice for a real situation.
One 16-year-old responded, “Even faking it is still sort of hard for me to process. Nobody wants to lose anybody. You don’t want to lose your life and you don’t want someone else to have to go through that either.”
Parents may wonder, “How can I protect my child from an accident like this?”
Several phone applications are directly aimed at preventing phone use while driving. The Colorado Personal Injury Lawyers with McDivitt Law Firm say discussing the dangers with your child is often an effective way to teach them safe driving behavior.
