North Carolina drivers might be more aware of the dangers of texting and driving, but studies show that they and motorists throughout the country might be using their phones more for gaming and social media while they drive. All of these can be dangerous distractions.
Unfortunately, that distraction often goes unrecognized as a serious danger. In one study by Students Against Destructive Decisions and Liberty Mutual Insurance, people of high school age were asked to rank distracting activities by how dangerous they were. Only 6 percent chose posting to or looking at social media as the most dangerous. A quarter said that writing a text message was the most dangerous, and 29 percent named driving under the influence.
The National Safety Council surveyed 2,400 drivers of all ages and found that nearly three-quarters would use Facebook while driving. Nearly one-third said that they would use Instagram and more than one-third said that they would use YouTube and Twitter while behind the wheel. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that on a daily basis more than 1,000 people are injured and eight are killed as a result of distracted driving. The National Safety Council says that around a quarter of all crashes happen due to phone-related distractions. However, because the numbers often depend on self-reporting, many experts believe estimates are too low.
People who are injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver may face a host of challenges beyond that of recovering from their injuries. The insurance company may offer inadequate compensation, and thus victims might struggle with medical bills as well as lost wages from missing work. An attorney might be of assistance in the aftermath of a such a car crash in negotiating with the insurance company and filing a civil lawsuit if necessary.