There was a time a few decades ago when drunk driving was the scourge of the roads. Movies, books and television shows included drunk driving crashes as a way to spread awareness and educate the public about the risks involved with impaired driving.
These days, distracted driving now commands that same cultural position, with movies and other forms of media using texting while driving as a source for drama and danger. For all of the purported risks associated with distracted driving, you may not know anyone who has actually gotten into a crash related to distraction.
Is it really so dangerous,or has the media blown the risks of distraction at the wheel out of proportion?
Distraction is one of the top causes of major crashes
Although distraction may not claim as many lives as drunk driving does, distraction at the wheel plays a role in a staggering number of crashes every year. Federal crash analyses indicate that roughly 14% of all fatal crashes involve the misuse of a phone.
Additionally, there are many more crashes that resulted in people getting hurt or substantial property damage that would not have occurred if both drivers involved were paying attention to the road.
Those hurt by distracted drivers can take legal action
Driving while manually using a phone is against the law in Kentucky. It is also arguably a form of negligence since someone chooses to focus on their phone or another source of distraction instead of the safety-critical task of driving.
If you have suffered serious injuries or incurred substantial property damage because of a distracted driving crash, you may have the right to bring a personal injury lawsuit against the other driver involved in the collision.