Distracted Driving Accidents Remain A Common Cause of Serious Crashes
Distracted Driving Awareness Month aims to curb the rising crash rate
Car accidents involving distracted drivers have become increasingly common in recent years. To raise awareness about the risks of distracted driving, the National Road Safety Foundation has declared April as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, with a goal to educate and remind drivers to stay focused on the road.
"Talking and texting on cell phones, while the most talked-about cause of driver distraction, is not the only thing that can distract a driver," Michelle Anderson, Director of Operations at The National Road Safety Foundation, said in a recent statement. "Seemingly harmless things … can be a dangerous distraction."
Any effort that gets drivers more focused on the road is welcome news. At Ausman Law Firm P.C., L.L.O., our car accident lawyers have seen firsthand the devastating consequences of distracted driving accidents. That's why we are committed to providing legal representation and support to crash victims in Omaha and throughout Nebraska, working tirelessly to secure the best possible outcome for our clients.
What is distracted driving?
When most people think about distracted driving, they think about texting while driving or talking on a cell phone. But any activity that diverts a driver's attention away from the road is a form of distracted driving. Other examples of distracted driving include tuning the radio, adjusting the GPS, eating or drinking.
Additional types of distracted driving can include personal grooming (applying makeup or shaving while driving), talking to other passengers, or simply having other people in the car while driving.
This is especially true for younger drivers. For example, if a teenager is in a vehicle while a teenager is driving, the younger driver is two-and-a-half times more likely to engage in distracted driving and other risky behaviors, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In addition, if two or more teen passengers are in the car, a teen driver is three times more likely to text while driving or engage in other high-risk driving behaviors.
What percentage of distracted drivers cause accidents?
In recent years, distracted driving has become one of the leading causes of car accidents nationwide. Specifically, an estimated 25 to 30 percent of fatal car accidents involve distracted driving, according to the NHTSA.
Those collisions result in more than 325,000 serious injuries every year, along with an estimated 11,500 to 13,800 deaths per year due to distracted driving accidents, according to NHTSA accident data.
Nebraska distracted driving statistics
Like the rest of the country, distracted driving has become one of Nebraska's most common causes of collisions. Since 2011, the number of car accidents in Nebraska caused by distracted drivers has increased nearly every year, according to accident data compiled by the Nebraska Department of Transportation.
Between 2011 and 2020, at least 1,200 people were seriously injured annually in car crashes caused by distracted drivers, the Nebraska Department of Transportation reported. And at any given time, at least 10 percent of all drivers on the road in Nebraska are distracted while driving, according to a Nebraska Department of Transportation study released earlier this year.
Protect your rights after a car crash in Nebraska
If you were hit by a distracted driver in Nebraska, don't hesitate to seek legal assistance from the experienced car accident attorneys at Ausman Law Firm P.C., L.L.O. Our legal team is committed to helping our clients obtain the compensation they deserve and will work tirelessly to ensure that justice is served.
We also offer legal representation to injury victims on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no fees unless we win your case. Get the Nebraska law firm that gets results. Contact us and schedule a free consultation to discuss your case and explore your potential legal options.
