By now most people in America, including our readers in Tennessee, are well-aware of the danger that distracted drivers present to all others on the road. Public and private awareness campaigns have informed the public for years now about this danger but, unfortunately, distracted drivers are, perhaps, more common now than ever before. The primary reason: smartphones.
Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that in one recent year, 2016, almost 3,500 people in America died in accidents in which the primary cause was distracted driving. Distracted driving is so common that most people have engaged in it and may not have even been aware, with activities such as eating, talking to people in the vehicle, changing the radio station and even drinking a cup of coffee on the morning commute all being considered as activities that take a driver’s attention off of the task of operating the vehicle.
Above and beyond the deaths that distracted driving causes each year, there are thousands of more victims who suffer injuries in these accidents. The NHTSA statistics show that in 2015 alone there were an estimated 391,000 people who were injured in car accidents caused by distracted drivers.
Most people recognize that they should not be talking or texting on their smartphones while driving, among other distracting activities. Unfortunately, millions of drivers engage in these behaviors on a daily basis. When Tennessee residents are injured in distracted driving accidents, they may have legal options to pursue financial compensation from the negligent or reckless party who caused the accident.