Is Driving While Listening to the Radio More Likely to Result in a Serious Accident?
We have written several times on our blog about serious injury and fatal accidents caused by people who were distracted while driving because they were talking on their cell phones or sending or receiving text messages. Studies show that driving while texting can be as dangerous as driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs because it takes a person's focus off of the road for significant periods of time. Would you rather have the person in another vehicle driving after a few drinks at dinner or looking down at his/her cell phone while he/she types out a text message for 20 seconds while driving 65 miles per hour? Neither is ideal.
However, a recent study showed that a driver's reaction time is significantly reduced if he/she is listening to sports on the radio and more so when the person is particularly interested in the game or discussion. The study found that reaction times for drivers intently listening to a game while driving were up to 20% slower which certainly can be the difference between safe driving and causing a serious accident. The number of incidents of hard braking almost doubled when drivers were listening to sports radio.
While different states are making it illegal to drive while texting or talking on a cell phone, it is unlikely that anything would be done about people driving while listening to anything on the radio. However, some people do get inordinately caught up into a game or sports talk show on the radio, and it could cause them to be less alert to their surroundings and more susceptible to causing an accident. It is an issue that personal injury and wrongful death lawyers should explore in a personal injury/wrongful death lawsuit during a deposition or otherwise.
