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Distracted driving causes many accidents in Pennsylvania

On Behalf of | Dec 6, 2018 | Car Accidents

Pennsylvania residents are undoubtedly aware of the dangers in encountering a distracted driver. A person operating a motor vehicle needs to pay strict attention to the road. The temptation of a cellphone and the multitude of uses it has is making it difficult for people to adhere to that basic safety requirement and it is leading to a spate of distracted driving car accidents. This is added to the other distractions that existed before the cellphone.

The scope of the problem is consistently referenced in research studies and by anecdotal evidence from law enforcement and emergency responders, yet it continues. The Department of Transportation in the state says that the most common reason for auto accidents in 2017 was distracted driving. Cellphones are a problem. However, such acts as adjusting the temperature settings in the vehicle and interacting with passengers is also a major risk. There were more than 15,600 accidents because of distracted drivers in 2017. This surpassed alcohol as the most common factor in accidents, which came in at more than 10,300. Next was speeding, at nearly 4,200.

A representative for PennDOT says that reporting might not give the full story, as a combination of behaviors could result in an auto accident because of distraction. People who have been drinking and use their cellphones behind the wheel exponentially raises the chance of a crash. Every day, three people die in these accidents. 221 are hurt. When calculating the population in these terms, with 12.8 million people living in the state, one in 44 will be in a reportable accident. One in more than 11,260 will die. One in 159 will suffer injuries.

Despite a drastic reduction in fatalities in car accidents in the past six decades, this is still a major problem. When there is a motor vehicle accident and there are medical bills from injuries, lost wages and wrongful death, the person who was hurt or the family left behind must remember their rights. A law firm that understands how to investigate these crashes may be able to help those who have been injured in a car accident, assess the cause and move forward with a legal case.