With so many tech devices now available, not every driver is giving their full attention to the road. In the event of a car accident, you may become seriously injured. A person who is not honoring the rules of the road may be responsible for damages that occur.
Understanding distracted driving
What is distracted driving? Distracted driving simply means that the driver is not giving full attention to the driving task at hand. Most commonly, distracted driving refers to texting and driving, but it can also include eating and drinking, talking on the phone, using an app or GPS, changing the music or any other task that takes your attention away from driving.
Distracted driving statistics
Some drivers might be thinking, how bad can it be? These same drivers think, I do it all the time and I haven’t had an accident yet. The trouble is, once the accident occurs, you can’t take it back. The damage remains.
Even just a short text can take your eyes off the road for five seconds. In that time, your car can travel the length of a football field or more, depending on how fast you drive. During peak driving hours in the daytime, there are over half a million — up to 660,000 drivers — handling a cell phone or other electronic device as they drive. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute has found that you are three times more likely to have an accident if you are handling a cell phone.
How to prevent an accident
The best way to prevent a distracted driving accident is to pull over if you need to use the phone, check the GPS or handle any other business. In the event that a distracted driver strikes you, you may be able to recover your damages caused by the other driver. Distracted driving is illegal in most states, and the person causing the accident is responsible for any serious injuries or wrongful death that occurs.