Wake Forest Police say a recent crash involving a Wake County school bus should serve as a warning to motorists about the dangers of texting and driving and driving while intoxicated.
Just before 4 p.m. on Friday, May 24, WFP responded to a crash involving a Wake County school bus and two other vehicles along Averette Road near Copper Beech Lane. Officials say a car driven by Skylar Morgan Faulker, age 41, crashed into the back of a second car forcing it to slam into the back of the school bus.
Twenty-one Wake Forest Middle School students and one adult (the driver) were aboard the bus at the time of the accident. No one sustained serious injuries, but the bus driver was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.
Following an investigation, Faulkner, 1605 White Rose Lane, Wake Forest, was arrested and charged with DWI. He was also cited for careless and reckless driving, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, and unlawful use of a mobile telephone for texting or electronic mail.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), on any given day in 2022, there were notable instances of drivers engaged in cell phone use while driving. This behavior is a key factor in distraction-affected crashes, which accounted for 8 percent of all fatal traffic accidents. Specifically, there were 3,047 fatal traffic crashes involving distractions, leading to 3,308 total fatalities. Among these, cell phone use was identified as the distraction in 368 fatal accidents, highlighting its continued risk despite awareness and regulations.
In North Carolina, most motorists over 18 years old are allowed to talk on a cell phone while driving, but texting while driving is banned in North Carolina. In addition, North Carolina is a primary enforcement state. That means, even if you’re not swerving or violating any other law, an officer can pull you over if they see you texting and driving. The fine for texting while driving is $100, plus court costs. Both typing and simply reading texts are prohibited.
EndDD.org (End Distracted Driving) reports that over 90% percent of drivers know cell phone distractions are dangerous and find it “unacceptable” to text or e-mail while driving. Yet, 35% of them do it anyway.
Wake Forest Police say safe driving is every driver’s responsibility. Potential solutions to prevent texting and driving include:
- Putting your phone on silent
- Turning your phone off
- Putting your cell out of reach, like in the trunk
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