Distracted driving causes more than eight deaths and over 1,000 injuries every day, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). However, recent research shows that a majority of teenagers do not think distracted driving behaviors are all that dangerous.
A survey by Liberty Mutual Life Insurance and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) found that only six percent of high-school age teens think that using social media while driving is the most dangerous driving behavior. That might explain why 70 percent of teenagers surveyed admit to using smartphone apps while driving.
Researchers surveyed 2,500 high school-age children and found that only one-quarter of the teenagers surveyed think that texting while driving is dangerous, while 29 percent think that it is dangerous to drive after drinking alcohol.
The National Safety Council (NSC) surveyed 2,400 drivers of all ages and their findings shed some light on the specific apps people admit to using when driving:
- Facebook – 74 percent
- Twitter – 37 percent
- YouTube – 35 percent
- Instagram – 33 percent
Getting distracted by texting or smartphone apps is a slippery slope that can lead to more distracted driving, according to Deborah Hersman, president and head executive officer of the NSC.
The NSC estimates that about 25 percent of all car accidents are caused by a distracted driver who was using a smartphone for texting or some other purpose.
Drivers Distracted by Pokémon Go
The smartphone game Pokémon Go has taken the world by storm in the first few weeks of its release. Unfortunately, it has also led to distracted driving car accidents across the country.
The purpose of the game is to catch Pokémon characters who appear in real-world locations on players’ smartphone screens. Drivers have become distracted when checking their screens and crashed into other cars, poles and even pedestrians.
If you have been injured in a distracted driving car accident, contact the auto accident lawyers in Fort Worth at Anderson, Cummings & Drawhorn to review your claim. Our personal injury lawyers are ready to help review the details of your claim.
Call today at (817) 920-9000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation.