It is a funny thing to watch the generations change. I am a Millennial. I used a card catalog at my first library and now have a cell phone in my pocket to look up anything I desire. I can win an argument with a few clicks on Google, read the latest parenting blog about why my toddler is naked and running down the hall holding her diaper and watch a video of a lawyer who is stuck in a cat filter during a zoom hearing. The next generation, referred to as Zoomers, are raging about TikTok, don’t text because they prefer Snapchat, and seem to have invented new sitting positions to watch YouTube video after YouTube video. As entertaining as it is to watch the new generation come into their own, one disturbing trend is the rise in distracted driving.
Distracted driving has steadily increased since 2006. A look at the numbers from numerous studies shows the trend is parallel to an increase in social media apps. More than 50% of teen crashes are attributed to distracted driving. In one suit, an 18-year-old was allegedly using Snapchat while driving 100mph, causing a severe collision.
The Law Offices of Howard Kornberg are all too familiar with this new trend in driver safety. If a distracted driver has injured you or someone you love, you need a personal injury attorney in Los Angeles, California. The award-winning trial attorneys will see that your family receives the compensation you deserve.
Zoomers and Social Media Addiction
Recently Netflix released a documentary, “The Social Dilemma,” aimed at social networking dangers. In it, they expose tech companies to designing their platforms to be addictive. While some critics have called the documentary overly dramatic, the BBC took the time to talk to former Silicone Valley techies.
Sandy Parakilas, a former Facebook employee, said, “You have a business model designed to engage you and get you to basically suck as much time out of your life as possible and then sell that attention to advertisers.”
Sean Parker, Facebook’s founding president, stated that the company was “exploiting a vulnerability in human psychology.”
As social media companies compete for our attention by creating the infinite scroll, like buttons, and short videos that refresh to continuously new content, how do we ensure our teenage drivers aren’t checking their phones while on the road?
End Distracted Driving Has a Theory
Joel Feldman, the founder of EndDD.org (End Distracted Driving), has launched a petition aimed at social media apps. In it, he encourages companies to:
- Take a page from Waze, a social media app with a pop-up that asks its users to “please disable while driving.”
- EndDD’s petition also asks social media companies to issue a statement not to use their apps while driving
- Partner with highway safety advocates to develop policies for safer drivers
Father of the late Casey Feldman and found of the Casey Feldman Foundation, Joel created EndDD.org after a van struck his daughter on her way to a summer job. The driver of the van was distracted by his GPS and never saw her.
Law Offices of Howard Kornberg Are Here for You
When we lose someone to a distracted driver, words can’t express our feelings of loss and anger. At the Law Offices of Howard Kornberg, we have a dedicated and sensitive team of wrongful death lawyers in Los Angeles, California, to help you and your family during your time of need. Please, don’t let another day pass by. Contact us for a free consultation of your case by calling 310-997-0904.
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