Car Talk’s Paul Atchley calculated the cost of distracted driving to the state of Kansas. Using the National Safety Council’s current estimates that 28% of fatalities are caused by distracted driving, that translates into 97 Kansas fatalities. Almost 5,000 people are injured and 12,000 incidents of property damage are caused by distracted driving in the state. Translating those deaths, injuries and property damage into a dollar amount, it cost the Kansas economy $500 million in 2009. It’s impossible to tangibly express the emotional and physical toll an auto accident has on the victim, friends and family.
