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Distracted driving has become a national problem

On Behalf of | Feb 24, 2017 | Distracted Driving

You probably see and hear a lot these days about distracted driving—and there’s good reason for all the fuss. Distracted driving, often fueled by a combination of technology and the modern lifestyle, has quickly become one of the biggest dangers for drivers everywhere.

What has move distracted driving into the forefront of the national consciousness? Perhaps it’s statistics like these:

— There were 431,000 injuries and 3,179 deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents that involved distracted driving in 2014 alone.

— At approximately any given moment of the day in the United States, 660,000 drivers are on their cellphones or manipulating some other form of electronic device, like a GPS, while they are driving.

— In 2015, an insurance survey found that one-third of drivers admit to texting and driving and three-fourths say that they’ve seen others do it.

— It takes about five seconds, on average, to read or send a text. During that time, a driver’s eyes are off the road. If the driver is moving at 55 MPH, that driver will cross the length of a football field without actually looking where he or she is going.

These are by no means the worst things that drivers do behind the wheel while in motion. The same insurance survey mentioned above found that drivers do everything from brushing their teeth to changing their clothes while on the road. Other distracted driving activities include things like eating lunch, drinking coffee, talking or arguing with passengers, playing with the radio controls and trying to read a map or follow a GPS system that lacks voice controls.

While various jurisdictions have cracked down on distracted driving and have started to criminalize activities like texting and driving, distracted drivers are still a persistent danger on our roads. If you were in an accident that involved a distracted driver (or a driver you suspect was distracted) we may be able to assist you. Please check out our page for more information about how we handle distracted driving claims.

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