Driver distraction causes 25% of crashes

According to an Earth Times article:

Distractions and inattention while driving are estimated to cause 1.2 million U.S. vehicle crashes annually -- about 25 percent of all crashes.

One estimate says cell phones contribute to about 60,000 auto accidents a year in the United States, but according to the Mayo Clinic Health Letter, other distractions are even more dangerous. . . .

The researchers determined that reaching for a moving object inside the car increased the crash or near-crash risk eight times. Looking at something outside the car increased risk 3.7 times. Dialing a cell phone increased risk 2.8 times. Eating, reaching for an object or talking on a cell phone increased risk 1.5 times, according to the Mayo Clinic Health Letter.

Support of legislation to prosecute distracted, unsafe drivers is one of the planks in MoBikeFed's legislative platform.