Latest Distracted Driving Statistics Released – Houston Truck Accident Lawyer

By Attorney Reshard Alexander on September 16, 2019

Latest Distracted Driving Statistics Released – Houston Truck Accident Lawyer

Thousands of drivers put themselves and others at risk by using their cell phones while driving.

Do you use your phone while driving? If so, you are among the thousands of drivers who also indulge in this dangerous habit. Zendrive, a company that is dedicated to improving driver safety, conducted an in-depth study consisting of 3.1 million drivers between Dec 2016 and Feb 2017. During the study period, participants made 570 million trips and traveled 5.6 billion miles. This study revealed that drivers used a cell phone during 88% of the 570 million trips and for every one hour driven, 3.5 minutes on average were spent on a cell phone.

Our Houston 18 wheeler accident lawyer explains that while the term, “distracted driving” does not simply mean the use of cell phones, it is the most common distraction. Distracted driving relates to anything that takes a driver’s attention off the road. This could mean things as simple as trying to find the best radio station, putting on makeup, or trying to eat a meal.

To measure the incidence of distracted driving in the United States, Zendrive continued their study by ranking all 50 states by the extensiveness of distracted driving in each state. The following is a list of Zendrive’s top ten states they found to be the most dominant in distracted driving:

1. Vermont
2. Mississippi
3. Louisiana
4. Alabama
5. Arkansas
6. Oklahoma
7. New Jersey
8. Rhode Island
9. Missouri
10. Massachusetts

The study also revealed that the majority of states with laws against hand-held phones ranked low on the list, thus indicating a link between cell phone ban and distracted driving.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that in 2015, 391,000 Americans were injured as result of distracted driving and 3,477 distracted driving deaths occurred.

Texas Law – Houston Truck Accident Lawyer

Texas law insists that all drivers “exercise due care” by obeying the speed limit and being conscious of the presence of pedestrians and road objects. This law is to prevent drivers from endangering life, limb, or property. When a driver causes injury or property damage due to distracted driving, he/she is liable to pay the resulting damages.

Distracted driving can be proven in various ways. The first is the confession of the negligent driver explaining their fault, offering their apologies, and taking full responsibility for the crime committed. The second is reliance on a third party, such as an eye witness. The witness could come forward and tell about the negligent driver texting, making a phone call, or doing any other action that resulting in distraction. In the absence of any witness or driver confession, cell phone records can be gathered via subpoena if the case proceeds to litigation. These records are often foolproof as they offer the exact time of cell phone usage in relation to the time of the accident.

Houston truck accident lawyer Reshard Alexander is available to assist you when you are injured. Call (713) 766-3322 today for a free consultation.