Distracted Driving Study
Distracted driving is defined as doing another activity that takes attention away from driving; it is a known risk factor to increasing the chances of a car accident and was responsible for 17 percent of car crashes in which someone was injured in 2011. Every day, distracted driving car crashes are the cause of 9 deaths and more than 1100 injuries.
There are three main types of driving distractions are visual (taking eyes off the road); manual (taking hands off the steering wheel); and cognitive (mental distraction).
While many activities can cause distracted driving, texting while driving is considered the most dangerous because it combines all three types of distraction. It also takes the driver’s attention away from driving more frequently and for longer periods than other driving distractions. In December 2012, more than 171 billion text messages were sent or received in the US, a number that has surely grown in the following years.
Read More
Determining Fault in Your Texting and Driving Accident
The National Safety Council estimates that texting and driving causes 300,000 to 700,000 accidents every year. Many states have taken the initiative to ban texting and driving, making it easier for police officers to pull over an offending party and issue a ticket. These states have also made it easier for insurance companies and lawyers to determine fault when there is a car accident. When an insurance company evaluates an accident to determine fault, the adjuster will request and review the police report to see if either driver was violating traffic laws at the time of the accident. If a driver has violated a law, he or she will likely be found responsible for the majority if not all of the damages from the accident.
How Does Texting and Driving Increase the Risk of a Car Accident?
Read MoreCar Accident Statistics Show that Middle-Aged Drivers Text and Drive Too!
I bet you’ve heard a lot about teenagers who text and drive but as it turns out, middle-aged drivers are guilty too and are increasing their risk of a car accident just like younger drivers. A study conducted by the University of California, San Diego found that most middle-aged drivers admit to using their cell phones regularly while driving, even with children in the car. Drivers also admitted to feeling pressured to answer work calls while driving. The authors of the study are hoping to send a message to companies to talk to employees about the risks associated with distracted driving, and to put policies in place to discourage them from using their cell phones while in the car.