It need not be said how dangerous it is to encounter a distracted driver on Louisiana’s roads. People who are not paying attention to the road are prone to having an auto accident with injuries and fatalities.
Many states, including Louisiana, have laws in place both to restrict distracted driving and to dole out punishments for those who violate it. While this is beneficial, it does not put a stop to the behavior.
One new study found that states that banned texting and driving had a reduction of 4 percent of people visiting emergency rooms after an accident. That comes to more than 1,630 accidents annually. In the study, 16 states were examined from 2007 to 2014. The keys to which states were selected centered around how available the information was regarding the state’s accidents.
These laws were primary or secondary. With respect to a a primary law, the texting and driving itself warrants a traffic stop. If the law is secondary, the driver must commit a separate violation that warranted the stop. For states with a primary law, the reduction in injuries following accidents was 8 percent.
The statistics were compiled across the age-related spectrum, and each age group saw positive results. However, distracted driving is still one of the biggest issues causing injuries and fatalities on the road. In 2016, there were almost 3,500 deaths and 391,000 injuries because of it.
Preventing distracted driving is one goal of the texting and driving laws in Louisiana. The statistics show that the law works. However, simply looking to the left and right when on the road will show that people are still looking down at their devices when driving regardless of the law.
Those who have been in a crash could face lifelong injuries, financial struggles, lost time at work and even death. The investigation into the crash is key and calling a law firm experienced in texting and driving car accidents can help.
