Groups Who Are the Highest Risk for Distracted Driving
All drivers should ensure that their mind is entirely focused on the act of driving, their hands remain on the wheel at all times, and their attention is solely on driving. However, in this modern world, it can be very easy to be distracted while driving, and as a result, distracted driving can affect anyone. Still, according to the research and statistics, some groups of drivers are more at risk for distracted driving than others.
What Drivers Are Most Likely to Drive While Distracted?
Distracted driving is incredibly dangerous and leads to many accidents every year. Some of these accidents lead to permanent and severe injuries, while others are deadly. This is why it is critical that drivers are diligent, responsible, and allow their attention to remain solely on the act of driving itself.
In a perfect world, all drivers would be able to focus on driving and not allow any distractions. In reality, there are many distracted drivers on the road, and the groups that are most vulnerable to distracted driving include:
Teens and Young Adults
Young drivers are a high-risk group who consistently top the list when it comes to instances of distracted driving. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that drivers under the age of 20 are involved in the largest proportion of distracted driving crashes. Inexperience, greater reliance on phone usage, peer influence and pressure, naivety regarding the dangers of distracted driving, and overconfidence in multitasking abilities are all reasons why.
Parents with Young Children
It may seem like parents who have precious young children in tow would be the safest drivers, but the opposite is actually true. Young children cause many distractions that can easily take a parent’s focus away from driving. Trying to soothe crying children, reaching for items a child has dropped, stopping children from arguing with each other, and providing children with snacks, it can be easy for a parent to have their attention pulled in multiple directions at once.
Professional Drivers
Commercial drivers, rideshare drivers, or delivery drivers spend long hours on the road every day. These people usually operate under tight deadlines which combined with the use of navigation systems, having dispatch devices, interfacing with customers, checking on work-related messages, and overall fatigue and monotony, can all add up to a situation where, despite driving experience, professional drivers are in the group most vulnerable to driving while distracted.
Commuters
People who drive the same route most days of the week can go into “autopilot mode” and end up daydreaming and overall become mentally detached from driving.
Speak to a New Jersey and Pennsylvania Wrongful Death and Personal Injury Attorney Today
For help with an injury claim after a distracted driving-related crash, please call our wrongful death and personal injury lawyer at Monaco Law PC at (609) 277-3166 for our New Jersey office and (215) 546-3166 for our Pennsylvania office to discuss your case today.
We are a New Jersey and Pennsylvania personal injury law firm serving Atlantic County, Bucks County, Burlington County, Cape May County, Camden County, Chester County, Cumberland County, Delaware County, Gloucester County, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Monroe County, Montgomery County, Philadelphia, Ocean County, Salem County, Susquehanna County and all of New Jersey.
Source:
cdc.gov/distracted-driving/about/index.html
