If you encounter a distracted driver on the road, they could cause an accident that leaves you with a debilitating injury. Distracted drivers pose a particularly significant threat, especially since vehicles can travel the length of a football field in seconds. Unfortunately, drivers become distracted for an array of reasons and these accidents keep occurring too often.
It is crucial to take a look at statistics on distracted driving accidents so that you understand the impact of these collisions as well as the prevalence of this problem.
Statistics show the consequences of distracted driving
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that distracted driving collisions resulted in roughly 424,000 people suffering injuries during 2019. Furthermore, more than 3,100 people lost their lives in these accidents over the course of 2019. Sadly, distracted driving deaths increased during 2019 in comparison to 2018, when the CDC recorded 2,841 fatalities.
The prevalence of distracted driving
A survey from 2019 found that 60% of 18-year-olds and 19-year-olds admitted to sending an email or text behind the wheel in the last 30 days. Furthermore, distracted driving takes many other forms, whether job-related responsibilities divert a driver’s attention from the road or they try to eat food, adjust the radio, use a GPS or lose focus for a different reason.
In the wake of a motor vehicle collision, it is pivotal to carefully go over all relevant factors, especially if the negligence of another driver resulted in the crash. Sometimes, pinpointing distracted driving can prove difficult, which highlights the importance of gathering as much evidence as possible.