We all know how big of a problem distracted driving is in the Twin Cities. All you have to do is look around on any busy street or highway. Sometimes, it seems like every other driver is chatting on the phone or staring down at the screen in their hand instead of focusing on the road.
Teenagers and distracted driving
Teenagers and drivers in their early 20s are especially likely to be distracted drivers, despite being told repeatedly that using your phone in any way while driving greatly reduces your ability to drive safely. Every year, dozens of Minnesotans are killed or seriously hurt in car accidents caused by distracted drivers.
Minnesota teen's PSA
If younger drivers won't listen to older people's warning, maybe they'll listen to one of their own. A senior at Robbinsdale Armstrong High School has produced a public-service announcement for Toyota's TeenDrive365 Video Challenge, a contest to make the best anti-distracted driving PSA.
Out of nearly 1,500 submissions, the Minnesota teenager's PSA was among the finalists. He finished in 2nd place, according to the TeenDrive365 website.
You can watch his video on the KARE-TV website. It depicts a mother crying at the site where her son died in a distracted driving crash. The teen said he wanted to reach out to drivers his own age who, he says, are practically "addicted" to their cellphones.
What to do after a distracted driving accident
Efforts like this may stop future tragedies, but they are too late for you, if you or a loved one has been injured in a distracted driving wreck. A car crash can leave you in chronic pain or with a debilitating disability -- if not both.
You should not have to pay for the negligent actions of someone else. Consult a personal injury attorney to get a grasp of your legal options.