In today’s world, people are often tempted to drive distracted, due to handheld technology and the urge to multitask. For some drivers, distracted driving is habitual, especially when commuting daily on familiar roads.
Distracted driving is an umbrella term that describes any activity that causes:
- Visual Distraction – A driver’s eyes are taken off the road due to an object, person, event or task.
- Cognitive Distraction – A driver’s mind is taken off of the task of driving due to daydreaming or being preoccupied.
- Manual Distraction – A driver’s hands are taken off the steering wheel to handle a phone, tune a radio or take a sip of coffee.
There are many people who follow the rules of the road and avoid using cellphones, yet there are other ways they drive distracted. They don’t always leave behind any physical or digital evidence when a crash occurs. This could include:
- Eating and drinking
- Changing a radio station
- Taking care of personal hygiene
- Reading
- Dealing with children or pets in the car
When it comes to cellphones, those who use them while driving are 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash than those who don’t. Safety advocates have been warning drivers about the dangers of using cellphones. Drivers throughout Ohio are prohibited from texting and driving, and drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from talking on cellphones.
Far too many people ignore the laws and the warnings, according to a new survey conducted by Insurance.com, which was published in a report called Distracted, discourteous and dangerous: Drivers confess to bad behavior. There were 1,000 drivers who participated in the survey, with:
- 87% saying that distracted driving has gotten worse over the last two years.
- 75% saying that the problem has grown by about 50% over the last two years.
What are the leading causes of distraction?
According to the survey, participants reported the following while driving as the most bothersome:
- 24% said texting and driving
- 20% said programming a GPS
- 16% said dealing with children in the car
- 11% said talking on a cellphone
- 11% said adjusting music
When asked how often participants texted while driving:
- 50% said only a few times ever
- 14% said 3 or 4 times per year
- 13% said 3 or 4 times per month
- 12% said 3 or 4 times per week
- 11 said daily
Among survey participants who admitted to taking pictures or selfies while driving:
- 46% said they took pictures of scenic or majestic views
- 38% said they took pictures of a severe weather event
- 20% said they took pictures of accident scenes they weren’t involved in
- 19% said they took pictures of aggressive driving or other unusual roadway incidents
- 18% said they took pictures so they can share them on social media
- 35% said they took selfies because they looked good that day
- 30% said they took selfies because they were on their way to a special event
What should I do if I was injured in a car accident caused by a distracted driver?
If the person who caused your crash was using a cellphone or other digital handheld device, he or she may have left behind digital evidence. In this case, an experienced Ohio car accident attorney can gather evidence by getting a subpoena for electronic records and checking the at-fault driver’s social media posts.
What if your crash was caused by another form of distracted driving? Without admittance from the at-fault driver, it may be difficult to pinpoint exactly what happened. The attorneys at Merriman Legal, LLC have a wealth of legal knowledge and experience investigating distracted driving crashes. We’ll work tirelessly to obtain the evidence we need to help you build a strong legal claim and get you full compensation.
To schedule your no obligation legal consultation, contact us online today.
