For Louisiana residents who are worried about their safety when they are heading out on the road, distracted driving is a common fear they must think about, take steps to avoid and hope that it does not affect them. Studies are common to determine the scope of the danger. A new one from Zendrive will do little to assuage their fears. Drivers who are in a crash and either know or suspect it was due to a distracted driver should take note of the prevalence of the behavior, as it can be important when considering a legal filing to attempt to be compensated.
According to Zendrive, distracted driving is substantially worse than previously studies suggested. It is believed to be 100 times worse than the data previously indicated. According to the 2018 Distracted Driving Snapshot from Zendrive, around 69 million drivers are simultaneously driving and using their cellphones every day. The government had estimated that number to be 660,000. This is occurring while using a cellphone behind the wheel is believed to be a cause of 26 percent of accidents.
In its research, Zendrive found that 60 percent of drivers use their cellphones behind the wheel at least once each day. An average of 40 percent of drivers are using their cellphones behind the wheel once per hour. This is contradictory to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s estimate that during the daylight hours, 660,000 drivers are using their cellphones. Zendrive found that the number of distracted drivers rose in every state except Vermont. It also rose in every city that was part of the study and the amount of time drivers spent on the phone increased as well. Louisiana was third on the list for having the most distracted drivers.
These numbers are particularly worrisome in the climate of greater enforcement of distracted driving laws. Any auto accident can be serious and lead to medical costs, lost time at work and the need for substantive life changes. However, a distracted driving auto accident is especially problematic because it stems from a driver being careless and uninterested in others’ safety and the law. A lawsuit is often the only way to ensure that an injured person is adequately compensated. A legal professional experienced in crash reconstruction and cases after distracted driving car accidents may be able to help.
Source: zendrive.com, “100 times worse than we thought: Insights from a Zendrive’s 2018 Distracted Driving Snapshot,” Cameron Jahn, April 10, 2018
