Alarming Statistics About Distracted Driving

 Posted on July 14, 2022 in Motor Vehicle Accidents

Distracted driving is responsible for on average, over 3,000 fatalities each year nationwide. These are some of the most preventable traffic deaths - all drivers must do to avoid these serious car accidents is to pay attention to the road. One of the most important duties drivers have is to remain aware of what is going on around them. Drivers who are simply not watching the road can find themselves causing a major wreck very, very quickly. Cell phones are one of the most common distractions. Countless public awareness campaigns regarding cell phone use while driving have likely had some effect, but distracted driving remains a serious problem. If you were injured by a distracted driver, an attorney may be able to help you recover compensation.

What You Should Know About Distracted Driving in Illinois

Everyone knows better than to send a text or check their emails while they are driving. Cell phones often come with a built-in “driving mode.” Navigation systems like Waze often have safeguards built in to prevent drivers from changing the settings while their vehicle is in motion. However, people continue to focus their attention on devices rather than the traffic around them. Some alarming statistics about distracted driving include:

• Distance - When a driver going 55 miles per hour takes their eyes off the road for just five seconds to check a text message, they will drive the entire length of a football field completely blind. In that distance, they could encounter anything from a motorcycle they did not previously see to traffic that is suddenly stopping.
• Mass injuries - In 2019 alone, a shocking 424,000 individuals were injured by distracted drivers in addition to the over 3,000 who lost their lives. Distracted driving endangers the public in a major way.
• Not just drivers - One in five individuals who are injured or killed by a distracted driver is a pedestrian, a bicycle rider, or someone else who is not inside another vehicle. Distracted drivers may spot other vehicles in their peripheral vision, but miss seeing a person on foot.

While cell phones are the main culprit in distracted driving accidents, they are not the only thing that can take a driver’s attention off the road. Anything from the radio to a rowdy passenger can cause a substantial enough distraction to result in a serious crash.

Reach Out to an Illinois Car Accident Lawyer

If you were injured by a distracted driver, Lucas Law may be able to recover compensation on your behalf. Our skilled Barrington car accident attorneys will investigate and try to prove that the at-fault driver was distracted when they hit you. Call 847-381-8700 for a free consultation.

Source:

https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/distracted_driving/index.html