It’s been well documented that distracted driving is a major cause of accidents in California and across the county. Despite that fact, data collected by a mobile technology startup suggests that distracted driving is on the rise.
A recent report indicates that nearly 60 percent of all American drivers use their phone while driving. The data was collected by the startup company Zendrive. By analyzing anonymous data from their users, Zendrive concluded that approximately 69 million drivers use their phone while driving every day. According to the data, distracted driverswere on their phones an average of 3 minutes and 40 seconds per hour while behind the wheel. That represents an increase of 10 seconds per hour over the previous year.
Like distracted driving, auto deaths are also on the rise. The increase from 2015 to 2016 is the largest increase in vehicle fatalities in over 50 years. With 40,000 deaths in 2017, those numbers do not appear to be dropping significantly. This phenomenon has led to many states cracking down on distracted driving through increased legislation. The District of Columbia and 47 states have banned texting while driving, and many states are banning the use of handheld phones altogether.
Distracted drivers are a serious threat on California roads given that they are more likely to be involved in fatal accidents than drivers who are paying attention. For individuals injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver, recovering damages may be a possibility. These damages might include recovering medical bills and lost wages. An attorney with experience in personal injury law may counsel such an individual and prepare them for the process of litigating an injury claim. In some cases, an attorney may be able to negotiate a monetary settlement with the distracted driver or their car insurance carrier without going to court.