California motorists know that texting while driving is dangerous. They’ve heard the public awareness campaigns and know about the changes to the law to help diminish distracted driving. Still, they continue to text, surf, and chat while behind the wheel, leading to thousands of accidents each year across the country. In some states, distracted driving is even the leading cause of fatal crashes each year. One recent study highlighted the wide range of online activities that can tempt drivers’ attention away from the road, pointing to some surprising information.
A car insurance company analyzed an online study of 2,000 American drivers. While almost half of the respondents said that distracted driving was a major safety concern on the road, the average participant also said that he or she spent around 13 minutes each day on the phone while behind the wheel. Distracted driving surveys have repeatedly shown that drivers judge others far more harshly than themselves. For example, 89 percent of respondents said that they would downgrade a ride-sharing service driver for using a phone behind the wheel, while 39 percent admitted regularly texting while driving.
Participants were asked to rank the types of activities that could be most likely to draw their attention away from the road. The results could be troubling, as they point to some of the most diverting activities. Over half of drivers said that they were tempted to participate in group chats and texts, while 33 percent were drawn to post or read on social media while behind the wheel.
Distracted driving has a real cost; the motor vehicle accidents caused by such behavior have led to thousands of catastrophic injuries. People who have been harmed in a crash due to someone else’s negligence can work with an experienced lawyer to pursue compensation for their damages.