Phone addiction is causing more car accidents

Phone addiction is causing more car accidents
On Behalf of Bradley, Drendel & Jeanney • Apr 18, 2019
In Reno and across Nevada, it is nearly impossible to find a person who does not have a smartphone in their hand. People have grown accustomed to checking their devices repeatedly for business purposes and social reasons. While this has kept people in touch with others, it has also created a dangerous atmosphere. According to a new study from the analytics company Zendrive, people are not just attached to their devices but are addicted to them, and this is leading to auto accidents.

Research says that distracted driving raises the chances of being in a car accident by 83 percent. In the U.S., distracted driving has risen by 10 percent in just the past year. Zendrive assessed 1.8 million drivers who traveled 4.5 billion miles. It also conducted a survey of 500 people. The most common distractions were talking, texting, navigation apps and music apps.

Those who are classified as phone addicts are on their devices 1.5 times more than people in general. It is said that these people are not watching the road a quarter of the time they are driving. The number of people categorized as addicts has doubled since 2018. By 2022, that number could rise to 20 percent of all drivers.

People understand that distracted driving is dangerous; 85 percent of the people surveyed admitted as such. However, 47 percent stated that they use their phones at least 10 percent of the time they are driving. The increase in distracted driving is causing a spike in fatal accidents, especially with pedestrians. Lawmakers and law enforcement are trying to tamp down on the problem, but despite these steps, it is still getting worse.

After a car accident, it is now natural to think that it was caused by a distracted driver. With the medical costs, lost time at work, possibility of serious injuries and fatalities, it is important for people who have been in a car collision to have legal advice. A law firm that specializes in car accidents can help.