If you were driven (figuratively speaking; no pun intended) to delve into this blog post after scanning its headline, it’s likely the case that you’re a prudent and conscientious motorist.
That’s just self-evident, right? Don’t most people operating motor vehicles readily appreciate roadway risks and note the need to exercise due caution when engaged in traffic?
That question elicits this sad and empirically vetted response: No, they don’t. Evidence from reams of reliable studies and reports reveals that high numbers of drivers are anything but careful once they get behind the wheel.
In fact, legions of motorists in Atlanta and across Georgia and the rest of the country are veritable red flags when they pull out onto streets, highways and interstate corridors. They lack focus, easily fixate on matters unrelated to the task at hand and materially ramp up risks for every other driver in the vicinity.
Those individuals are noted in one online legal overview spotlighting distracted drivers and the constant dangers they pose for everyone else sharing the road.
That summary of what is a top-tier problem across the United States duly stresses that a distracted motorist “is like a train without a conductor.”
That train is destined to derail and perhaps inflict catastrophic injuries as a result. The same holds true when a driver essentially surrenders control of a vehicle owing to an inability to pay attention.
How serious is the problem posed by distracted drivers?
Very serious.
As noted above, irrefutable and widely sourced evidence leaves no doubt that distracted driving is a nemesis that routinely yields fatal outcomes. Here are some relevant findings linked to behind-the-wheel distractions:
- About 80% of all car crashes tied to that cause
- Approximately nine deaths nationally every day
- About 1.6 million accidents annually that owe solely to in-car texting
- More than 1,000 drivers and other vehicle occupants injured daily
- Drunk driving a core catalyst in about 10,000 fatal collisions annually
- Upward trending in distracted driving instances and accompanying death rate
That last bulleted entry is especially concerning, of course. It underscores the stark fact that distracted driving episodes rise constantly and exponentially even though there is an increased public understanding of the great risks posed by inattentive motorists.
Victims of third-party behavior grounded in negligence can often pursue meaningful remedies by filing personal injury lawsuits. A recovery marked by maximum compensation can provide financial assistance that is helpful across a wide spectrum of needs.