Passengers have a big role to play in helping reduce a motorist’s risk of being involved in a car accident. Passengers who speak up when the driver of their car is driving at excessive speeds or texting while driving can reduce their risk of being involved in a possibly serious auto accident.
That message is being put out to passengers by two traffic safety organizations called We Save Lives and the National Road Safety Foundation. Both of these organizations launched the National Passenger Safety Week initiative last year, and this year, the special commemoration was marked between January 22 and January 29.
According to these two groups, it is important for passengers to understand that they play a huge role in their own safety, even if they are not the ones behind the wheel. Statistics show that passengers have enough incentive to speak up when they see the driver of their car engaging in dangerous driving behaviors. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, as many as a quarter of all car accident wrongful deaths in the United States every year are passengers.
This year’s National Passenger Safety Week marked the launch of a nationwide safety campaign that will specifically focus on raising awareness about the important role of passengers in auto safety. According to the organizers of the campaign, it is important for passengers to speak up when they see the driver of the car they are riding in, texting or driving at unsafe speeds. Passengers have a huge responsibility to speak up when they see a motorist dozing off while driving. Avoid riding in a car with a motorist who is clearly under the influence of alcohol or seems too tired or drowsy to drive.
This year’s campaign is being supported by more than 50 traffic safety groups including the Governors’ Highway Safety Association, the National Safety Council and Students against Drunk Driving. The campaign will include a nationwide media blitz, including social media efforts encouraging passengers to speak up.
Bad driving choices like driving under the influence of alcohol or texting while driving are responsible for thousands of auto accidents every year. Many of these auto accidents result in wrongful deaths, including a significant number of passenger deaths every year. If you notice that the driver of your car is driving dangerously, or is distracted while driving, speak up and ask him or her to stop such behavior. It could mean the difference between life and death for you and everybody else in the car.
The Atlanta car crash attorneys at Katz Personal Injury Lawyers are dedicated to the representation of persons injured in car accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia. If you or a loved one have suffered injuries in a car accident, talk to a lawyer at our firm and determine if you have legal options to a claim for damages. You may be eligible for compensation that includes medical expenses, lost income and other types of damages. Talk to an attorney at our firm and discuss your case.