Distractions play a larger role than previously thought in car accidents and were responsible for about six of every ten moderate to severe crashes, according to a study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
The study found that all forms of distraction were a factor in 58% of the crashes analyzed, including in 89% of the crashes where the vehicle left the road and in 76% of the accidents involving rear end collisions. In 12% of the crashes, the distraction involved the driver using a cellphone to talk, text, or look at the screen. Other forms of distraction included the driver looking at something in the vehicle, looking at something outside the vehicle other than the road, and singing or dancing to music.
It was noted that teen drivers have the highest crash rate of any age group. Approximately 963,000 drivers ages 16 to 19 were involved in police-reported crashes in the United States in 2013. Those crashes resulted in 383,000 injuries and 2,865 deaths. According to the study, drivers using their cellphones had their eyes off the road for an average of 4.1 of the final six seconds leading up to crashes. It was also found that teen drivers using cellphones failed to react more than half of the time before the impact in rear end collisions.
When someone is injured or dies in an auto collision, financial recovery may be available. Such recovery is particularly important when permanent, life changing injuries are incurred. It is important to contact someone who understands the intricacies of the injured party’s right to recover.
Abraham Watkins offers a free consultation to anyone wishing to pursue a claim for such injuries or fatalities.