Shown is the driver of a blue Mazda who is distraught as the three girls he hit with his car are raced to Inter Mountain hospital. The name of this 28 year old male has not been disclosed, but police suspect that he was texting while driving. His distraction became apparent as he ran over three girls ages 14,10, and 9 even though they were crossing the street safely and using a designated cross walk. The local Midway girls were on their way to the local pool near Wasatch street when the accident took place Tuesday afternoon.
The 9 year old girl is still in critical condition while the other two girls are in serious condition.
Distracted driving leads to delayed reaction times. In this case the time between seeing the girls and the use of the break were to far apart. Distracted driving accounts for 18% of all accidents according to the CDC.
Accidents like this support the new no cell phone law for teens that was put in place the same day as the accident. If accidents like this tragedy continue we can expect that the cell phone and driving ban will be extended to all ages.
We at Christensen & Hymas wish the girls a successful recovery. We hope that this serves as a painful reminder to all that frequently use their phones while driving to put it down and focus.
If you have been hit as a result of a driver who has been texting while driving, call a compassionate attorney from Christensen & Hymas. We specialize in cases involving cell phone use and would be happy to assist you.
Article and photo originally reported by Deseret News