WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 (UPI) -- When revealing the 2009 distracted driving statistics Monday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood warned the instances likely are far higher.
Distracted driving-related crashes killed 5,474 people and injured another 448,000 across the United States, LaHood said in a Transportation Department release Monday, the day before a 2010 Distracted Driving Summit.
In a Sunday op-ed for the Orlando Sentinel, LaHood said researchers believe the epidemic of distracted driving is likely far greater than now known. Police reports in many states don't routinely document whether distraction was a factor in vehicle crashes, making it difficult to know the extent.
"These numbers show that distracted driving remains an epidemic in America, and they are just the tip of the iceberg," LaHood said. "Tomorrow, I'm convening our second Distracted Driving Summit in the hopes that we can continue to draw attention to the dangers of distracted driving and work together to save lives".
UPI
