The Barnes Firm

Experience Is The Difference

• June 14, 2016
• Sandy

LOS ANGELES – Almost 25 percent of teens and young adults have been involved in an accident or near miss in the last year, and distracted driving is a factor in almost all of the incidents.

The poll, conducted by Goodyear, quizzed 1,000 drivers between the ages of 17 and 25. The results were concerning:

• 18% had driven through a red light because they were distracted
• 29% admitted to calling or answering the phone
• 28% said they have texted behind the wheel
• 23% said laws against distracted driving did not impact their behaviors
• 10% have logged into social media during a drive

SOCIAL MEDIA

Of those who admitted to opening social media apps, the distractions went deeper:

• 45% updated their status or searched newsfeeds
• 32% used Snapchat while driving

Music is also a major contributor to accidents and close calls. Researchers found that over a quarter of teens and young adults play music while driving, and they’re using smartphone apps to pump their tunes.

Simply playing the radio or changing the station can often be a contributing factor in many motor vehicle crashes, Los Angeles car crash attorneys said. When the music player is handheld, it adds another layer of complication to an already distracted driver.

Not only were young drivers found to be distracted by the music, they’re also swiping through their phone to get to the next song, or hooking-up their phone with hardware to be able to play their tunes through the car’s speakers.

IT’S NOT JUST SMARTPHONES

Smartphones have often meant disaster for young drivers since they were introduced to consumers about a decade ago. Since then, incidents directly linked to distracted driving have sky rocketed and now outpace drunk driving as a leading cause of motor vehicle accidents.

However, researchers have found that young drivers are easily distracted, even when smartphones are missing from the equation.

Roughly 13 percent of younger drivers admitted to regularly applying make-up or skin products while driving.

Another 11 percent claimed they often style or brush their hair behind the wheel.

All of these numbers should be concerning to parents and other drivers, but researchers said the most worrying problem they identified was that nearly a third of young drivers who had an accident or a close call didn’t tell their parents.

WHEN ACCIDENTS HAPPEN

Good drivers know how dangerous distracted driving can be – and they avoid it at all costs. Unfortunately, many good drivers get injured or killed by negligent ones.

Los Angeles car accident lawyers at The Barnes Firm now estimate that more than half of all car crashes involve a distracted party. Proving a driver was distracted can be a useful piece of evidence in any personal injury case, but it can often be difficult without the right resources.

The Barnes Firm has the resources to help victims and their families maximize their compensation. A Los Angeles car accident lawyer can use these resources to gather evidence that could strengthen your case and help you get the best result possible.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a distracted driver, call The Barnes Firm today for a free consultation.

The Barnes Firm 1-(800) 800-0000