With so many cars on the road these days, it is easy to understand that there are more automobile accidents than ever before. There are many different causes for the upswing in accidents, but perhaps distracted driving is one of the most prevalent. When one looks at distracted driving and what causes it, one need look no further than a few different root causes.
In 2014 alone, upwards of 90 people died each day as a result of a car accident. Throughout the entire year, 6,400 people were injured, some severely and some in minor ways. The second leading cause of traumatic brain injuries is car accidents, and many who are injured are injured in distracted driving accidents. In many cases, these deaths and injuries could have been avoided entirely if the driver had not been distracted. Being distracted by other passengers, eating food, talking on cell phones, and being fatigued can all lead to otherwise preventable accidents.
Fatigued driving is something that most drivers don’t consider when considering things that can keep them from driving safely. Any car accident lawyer, however, can tell you that fatigued driving can cost you dearly if it is the cause of an accident where injuries or damage occur. We never want to admit that we are too tired to drive. The fact is, many times people get behind the wheel of the car when they are just as likely to behave as if they were impaired by alcohol. Fatigued driving plays out in many ways just like drunk driving. Someone who is fatigued can loose their ability to make snap judgments that need to be made to avoid accidents. Fatigued driving is something to take very seriously.
At just about any given moment of any given day, 660,000 drivers are using electronic devices instead of focusing on the road in front of them. These electronic devices, of course, can be cell phones, music players, or other devices that take attention away from driving. An accident law firm just about anywhere will tell you that electronic devices play a role in almost every accident they deal with. A personal injury lawyer will seize on any negligence that has come from the driver’s use of electronic devices while driving. Not only is it a bad idea to use electronic devices while driving, it is illegal.
Another distraction that many drivers don’t think of very often is eating while driving. Ever since there have been cars, drivers have been getting hungry while behind the wheel. Drive thru restaurants don’t’ do much to curb this form of distracted driving, but it has become a problem, nonetheless.
If you are behind the wheel of a car, truck, van, or any other type of vehicle, it is always your responsibility to be in a condition where you can make the best decisions you can make. Take driving seriously and you just might avoid becoming a distracted driving statistic.
