In 2018, about 1 in 5 of the people who died in car accidents caused by distracted drivers were not in vehicles themselves. Instead, these victims were pedestrians or bicyclists. That same year it was reported that 400,000 people were injured in accidents caused by distracted drivers and that over 2,800 fatalities resulted from these distracted driving accidents.
If you have been involved in a distracted driving accident, you may be comforted in learning that a Fresno Car Accident Attorney can help you recover your financial losses related to your crash, such as your medical expenses, lost wages, damaged car, and other out-of-pocket costs. While you have 2 years to file a personal injury claim in California, you don’t want to wait too long before reaching out to an attorney for your customized, free case evaluation.
Types of Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is divided into three categories: manual, visual and cognitive. Manual distractions lead the driver to take their hands off the wheel, such as when a driver is applying makeup or eating behind the wheel. Visual distractions are when the driver takes their eyes off the road, such as when they look down at their GPS, change a song on their phone, or read a text. Cognitive distractions include daydreaming and zoning out. People driving while emotional, such as after getting in a fight with a significant other or after getting bad news, are not in the mental headspace to be paying attention to the road. They may be trying to figure out their problems but, unfortunately, being mentally caught up in other matters could create significant road dangers.
Teens And Distracted Driving
A 2019 study by the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) analyzing the risk behaviors of U.S. high school students found that 39% of teen students who drove within the last 30 days of the survey had sent a text or email while driving. White students are more likely to text or email behind the wheel (44%) than Hispanic students (35%) or Black students (30%). Their grade point average and academic success had nothing to do with whether or not they would be a distracted driver – a student who was excelling in school was just as likely to send an email or text while driving as a student who was failing. The drivers who are most likely to be involved in distracted driving accidents than any other age group are teens between the ages of 15 and 19, with 8% of the drivers in that age range having been distracted at the time of a crash. The CDC also reports that 25% of the distracted drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2018 were young adults between the ages of 20 and 29.
What You Can Do
These types of accidents are fully preventable. Stick to just driving when you’re behind the wheel, and save checking emails or sending texts until you’re somewhere you can park. You should also not eat behind the wheel. If you’re ever in a situation where you need to make a phone call or send an email, find a convenient place to pull over to handle the urgent matter. Speak up when you’re a passenger and the driver engages in dangerous behavior.