Coming across a distracted driver is something that Louisiana residents have probably grown accustomed to. Simply looking to the left or the right when driving, when at a stop light or at any other time on the road will inevitably result in seeing a driver who is engrossed in his or her device or taking part in another activity that is in no way connected to driving. The danger of this practice is well-known. Researchers and legislators are seeking strategies to reduce distracted driving and one of the important steps in this endeavor is knowing when drivers are more likely to be distracted.
A recent study from Travelers, in association with TrueMotion, examined driver behaviors between January of 2017 and May of 2018. It included 20,000 drivers. According to the results, drivers were more prone to look at their devices in the summer months of June, July and August. It said that drivers in the summer are acting as a distracted driver for one-quarter of every hour they are driving. This is a rise of almost 10 percent in comparison to the remainder of the year.
Since more vehicles are on the road in the summer, more pedestrians are moving back and forth and construction work is commonly done when it is warmer, there are more people in jeopardy of being injured in a car accident because of a distracted driver. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that there is an increase of 20 percent in the number of miles driven during the summer versus the winter. There are 29 percent more fatalities on the road during those summer months than in December through February.
When there is an auto accident, the world today and how people behave makes it an almost automatic reaction to think that distracted driving was a cause. The statistics show that the practice and its dangers are increasing substantially. With this information, summer driving and behaviors could place people in jeopardy of being in crashes because of a distracted driver. Those who have been injured or who have lost a loved one must understand the causes and how to pursue compensation. A law firm experienced in car accidents may be able to help.
