Driving down the road, a Louisiana driver could probably point out drivers who are not paying complete attention to what they are doing. Distracted driving remains a personal injury risk everywhere, and even a short trip can have disastrous consequences. Despite laws restricting texting and driving and ongoing public interest campaigns about the dangers of distraction, people still choose to continue to engage in these risky behaviors while behind the wheel.
Statistics indicate around 3,000 people die each year in accidents caused by distracted driving. These numbers don’t actually provide an accurate picture concerning the scope of the problem. When factoring in the number of people who suffer injuries in distracted driving accidents and those who had close calls, it is clear that this issue affects many more people than data may suggest.
While distraction continues to be a big problem on Louisiana roads and in other states, there is reason to believe that it could be leveling off. It is possible that new laws across the country could be helping, as could apps that disable phones while people are driving. Some insurance companies track customers’ phones, with permission, to detect distracted driving and then reward them for safe habits.
It remains to be seen how effective distracted driving laws are and whether they will decrease accidents over time. In the meantime, victims of these types of crashes have options. They may have grounds to move forward with a personal injury claim through which they may be able to recover a monetary judgment for documented financial losses.