Georgia recently passed legislation aimed at curbing one factor of distracted driving: talking or texting on a mobile device while driving. As much as 25% of all accidents are caused by distracted driving. When it comes to fatal crashes, teens have a higher chance of reporting being distracted at the time of the crash. In fact, distracted driving is thought to be responsible for as many as 58% of all teen crashes. In 2015 alone, distracted driving was cited as a major factor in crashes that caused a total of 391,000 injuries and 3.477 traffic deaths. One family is facing the consequences of distracted driving, which claimed the life of a 4-year-old girl, as the AJC reports.
Last Tuesday, the 4-year-old granddaughter of a Paulding County detention officer was killed in an accident.
Hayley Borders Sell was involved in a traffic accident on Ga. 101 South in Union County.
20-year-old Tyler Arron Taylor was driving the truck that crashed into Sell’s car. According to the report from the Georgia State Patrol, Taylor was “distracted” at the time of the accident.
Taylor told the state trooper that he had dropped a bottle of water and his cell phone onto the floorboards of his car. While attempting to pick up the items, he took his attention from the road. When he looked up, it was too late to stop and prevent the collision.
Inside Sell’s car was her 4-year-old daughter, Alora Rose Sell and her 3-year-old son. Sell wrote: “She was barely alive as my dad pulled her from my van and I administered CPR,” she wrote. “My other children watched. This has been a nightmare that I just want to wake from.”
The Georgia State Patrol will be conducting a follow-up investigation.
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