Distracted driving is extremely dangerous. In fact, in just 2016 alone, over 3,450 people lost their lives in these horrific and highly preventable accidents. Distracted driving is literally any type of action that takes your eyes off of the roads for a period of time, including texting on your phone, turning up your radio, or talking to people in the vehicle with you. If your main focus is not on driving, then you are driving distracted, and there are many risks that can come with these actions.
One of the scariest statistics known is that approximately 481,000 people who are driving will use their cell phones while they are operating a vehicle. Even taking your eyes from the road for 5 seconds at 55 mph is like driving the entire length of a football field with your eyes closed. Teens are some of the most likely to be involved in these accidents, but this is not true for every case. Today we want to focus on some of the ways that drivers give in to distractions on our roads and the dangers this poses.
The Top Distractions on Our Roads
Did you know that 25% of the vehicle fatalities that happen on our roads happen due to distracted drivers? Because of this, it points out the reality that we have to work on decreasing the number of times we take our focus off the roads. We want to discuss the different ways drivers engage in distracted driving every day.
Moving Objects: If you are moving objects in your vehicle, there is a chance that you could be involved in an accident. Perhaps your pet is getting in your face while you are driving or you find an insect on you. Maybe you dropped something on the floor and you are leaning down to pick it up. Moving objects around can lead to major distractions that can cause serious accidents.
Smoking: A small percentage but still a reasonable amount of people will become involved in an accident while they are lighting or smoking a cigarette.
Eating or Drinking: Eating and drinking are reasons for distractions, especially when you’re fumbling around with papers, trying to wipe your hands, or reaching into cupholders for your drink.
Talking to Others: If there are other people in your vehicle, they could place a major demand on your attention as you speak with everybody there with you. If you are looking at somebody, this takes your visual attention away even more.
Cellphone Use: 12% of all distracted driving accidents happen due to cellphone use. Even with hands-free options, there are still many dangers in a wide variety of ways.
Mental Distractions: Mental distractions, or being lost in thought, surprisingly account for 62% of distracted driving accidents. If you have a lot on your mind and drift off thinking about it, you might not be paying attention to the road lines or others in front of you. This is why it is only a good idea to drive with a clear mind.
At Katz Kantor Stonestreet & Buckner, we realize what a big deal distracted driving has become and how imperative it is to have an experienced attorney on your side who can help you through these difficult times if you have been injured in a distracted driving accident. If you can prove that another driver is liable for your accident and you have evidence to support this, you can move forward with a personal injury claim that will help you compensate for your damages during this difficult time. Contact us for more information on how we can stand by your side at (304) 713-2014.
Note: This post was created with the help of secondary sources operating independently from Katz, Kantor, Stonestreet & Buckner Law Firm. The information used from these sources has not been independently confirmed by our staff. If anything included in these posts is incorrect, please inform us and we will promptly correct the post.
Disclaimer: Our intent with these posts is to honor the victims of these terrible accidents and inform the public about how to avoid these accidents and what to do in the event of one. This information should not be considered legal or medical advice.