Father and Daughter Admit Addiction to Texting and Driving | Seattle Personal Injury Lawyer

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We all know, or have at least seen, someone who is attached to their BlackBerry 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This addiction includes having to constantly check and send messages everywhere they go, even in the most dangerous place they can possibly do it: their car. Tyler Strandberg, 23, is one of these individuals. In the past three years, Tyler has wrecked three cars and each one of the car accidents was caused by talking or texting on her phone.

Tyler says, “sometimes I will zone out and forget I’m driving. If I’m on the phone talking about something that takes up all my focus, I’m looking straight ahead — but not even seeing what’s there.” Wow! That is a recipe for a serious car accident.

She goes on to say, “a lot of times I feel like I can just look at my phone for one second, but that one second can be enough. There can be something in front of me that one second that I don’t see.” Tyler knows that even taking her eyes off the road for a quick glance can be enough to lead to a devastating injury or death causing auto accident.

Tyler goes on to say that texting has become an unconscious obsession almost with her whole generation. Texting and driving, also known as distracted driving, is dangerous. Studies have shown that distracted drivers are as much as 20 times more likely to be involved in a car accident. What Tyler says, however, illustrates why we all need to take notice of this issue. Because texting while driving is so pervasive for the under 30 crowd.

Tyler’s father, Buckley Strandberg, is worried that his daughter will never kick her dangerous habit. Yet Tyler may have a hard time listening to her father’s advice, as Buckley has also admitted to being guilty of frequent cell phone use while driving. Buckley’s drive to work is almost a two hour trip. He admitts that because it is such a long and boring drive it is a perfect time and place to conduct business on his phone.

“I’m not just going to sit there in the car. I get a lot of work done on that straight, dead stretch of U.S. 64,” said Buckley.

He continued to say, “And if I run off the road, there are rumble strips that divert me back onto the road. That has happened occasionally. They seem to work, those rumble strips.”

Can you believe it? Buckley is relying on rumble strips to help him avoid an auto accident instead of just paying attention. Rumble strips are not everywhere. They aren’t on every highway, street and road in this country. Even if they were, that is no justification to swerve side to side because of cell phone use behind the wheel. It is one thing to admit that you have a problem, but you also must take the steps to get rid of the dangerous habit. The Strandberg’s are a prime example of the individuals who are making the roads a dangerous place.

Straight Talk Law has been emphasizing the importance of refraining from texting while driving for some time now. In the coming weeks we will be launching and focusing on a campaign that we hope can help put an end to the dangerous habit. In the meantime, please, please do not text while you are behind the wheel of your car.

This information is provided by www.straighttalklaw.com, where you can order free books on Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by Jason Epstein and his law practice Premier Law Group in Seattle, Washington.