A new survey has found that about 70% of drivers used their cellphones while driving in the last three months. According to a report on Streetsblog.org, even more Americans – 86% – admitted to using a mobile device while driving to work over the same time period. The survey was commissioned by the Selective Insurance and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, which also found that more than half of those polled said they would support stricter measures to prevent distracted driving. In 2020 alone, more than 3,000 people were killed in the U.S. in distracted driving crashes.
What the Study Found
Here are some of the other findings of this survey:
• 73% of respondents said they talked, video called or texted while driving
• 45% admitted that they checked social media or used an app
• 30% said they took a photo
• 25% said they checked or sent an email while driving
The survey also found that car accidents caused by distracted driving affect many victims and involve both young and older drivers . Nearly one-third of those surveyed said they had either been in a crash involving distracted driving due to using a mobile device or know someone who was. Younger people – ages 18 to 44 – were overwhelmingly more likely (46%) to be involved in a distracted driving-related crash compared to those 45 years and older (18%). Advocates are calling on federal officials to immediately address this increase in injuries and fatalities caused by distracted driving, especially as April marked Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
Distracted Driving is Risky
Distractions while driving are not just limited to using cell phones or electronic devices. They include any action that takes a motorist’s hands off the wheel, eyes off the road or his or her attention away from driving. When a driver isn’t focused on the act of driving, he or she may miss crucial events, objects and cues or even lose control of the vehicle. Distracted drivers put themselves, their passengers and others on the road at great risk.
According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), one out of 10 fatal crashes in the country involves distraction. Other types of distractions while driving include eating, drinking, grooming, applying makeup, reading, programming a GPS or adjusting the radio or temperature controls.
Distracted Driving and Carelessness
There is no question that distracted driving is also negligent (careless) driving. In order to be successful with a car accident claim, the plaintiff (injured victim) must prove that the defendant or defendants (the one or ones that are sued) was or were negligent or careless. If you have been injured by a distracted driver, your New York car accident lawyer can help you prove your case by securing crucial evidence including cell phone records to prove distracted driving.
Injured victims of distracted drivers can seek compensation from at-fault parties for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families that have lost loved ones in car accidents can seek compensation for damages such as lost future income, medical and funeral costs, pain and suffering, etc.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident or pedestrian accident, or if you have lost a loved one in an auto accident caused by a negligent (careless) driver, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
For over 50 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury and/or medical malpractice cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: https://usa.streetsblog.org/2022/03/30/three-quarters-of-licensed-drivers-used-a-mobile-device-while-driving-new-survey-finds/