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The National Safety Council urges Americans to:

• Stop using cell phones while driving.
• Understand the dangers of the cognitive distraction to the brain.
• Inform people who call you while driving that you'd be happy to continue the conversation once they have reached their destination.
• Tell others about the dangers of cell phone distracted driving.

In their white paper April, 2012 Understanding the Distracted Brain - Why Driving While Using Hands-Free Cell Phones is Risky Behavior they lead in with an accident that occurred in January 2004 at 4:00 p.m. in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  "A 20-year-old woman ran a red light while talking on a cell phone.  The driver's vehicle slammed into another vehicle crossing with the green light directly in front of her.  The vehicle she hit was not the first car through the intersection; it was the third or fourth.  The police investigation determined the driver never touched her brakes and was travelling 48 mph when she hit the other vehicle.  The crash cost the life of a 12-year-old boy.  Witnesses told investigators that the driver was not looking down, not dialing, the phone, or texting.  She was observed looking straight out the windshield talking on her cell phone as she sped past four cars and a school bus stopped in the other south bound lane of traffic." 

According to researchers in the white paper this is a classic example of "inattention blindness" caused by the cognitive distraction of a cell phone conversation.

The problem of distracted driving is large.  According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in 2011 3,331 people were killed by distracted drivers - 387,000 were injured.

"During the month of April - 'National Distracted Driving Awareness Month', I encourage everyone to review the very helpful information on the National Safety Council website" said  Attorney, Randall Spivey, Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.

Fort Myers Personal Injury Lawyer,  Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by less than 2 percent of Florida attorneys. He has handled over 1,500 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida. For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at  239. 337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839, or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com  for more information. You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.