Pennsylvanians and people across the nation are inundated with information as to the dangers of distracted driving. Along with the entreaties from law enforcement and legislators are studies to show the prevalence of the practice. However, it can be difficult to know which studies are accurate. Some studies use different methodology from others and there are arguments as to which information is better. Regardless, those who are in a car accident in today’s day and age will automatically think that it was due to a distracted driver. With injuries and long-term damage after a crash, a legal filing can be vital to receive compensation and the cause of the accident can be key to that end.
New research from the driving analytics company Zendrive states that drivers are using their cellphones for two minutes out of each hour. There has been an increase for hourly cellphone use behind the wheel in 49 of the 50 states. A director at Zendrive stated that the numbers of people who are driving while distracted is 100 times worse than other studies have indicated. In coming to its conclusions, Zendrive examined 4.5 million drivers’ behaviors over a three-month period. It found that 86 percent of drivers were using the device. 60 percent did so at least one time per day.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) from 2015 compiled its information from 13 million driver-miles and found that nearly seven percent of drivers were using their cellphones behind the wheel daily. That is a far cry from Zendrive’s 60 percent. The report says that people used their cellphones for three minutes and 40 seconds for every hour. If they were traveling at 55-mph, this came to them driving an estimated three miles while on their phone. Pennsylvania drivers were on the phone at 6.09 percent when driving. The state ranked 16th in the United States. This is despite the ban on texting and driving from 2012. Other behaviors on the cellphone are not dealt with under state law.
With April designated as Distracted Driving Month, law enforcement is more vigilant about distracted drivers. However, that does not alter the fundamental reality that drivers are getting behind the wheel and using their cellphones at a worrisome rate. Since medical bills, lost wages, long-term damage and other issues can result from a driver’s negligent actions, a lawsuit might be necessary to investigate the case and recover compensation. Contacting a law firm that handles personal injury cases can help.
Source: poconorecord.com, “Study: Cell phone usage while driving worse than ever,” Patrick Campbell, April 13, 2018