Approximately 40,000 people are killed in auto accidents each year and millions more are injured. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these accidents are caused by driver negligence and could have been prevented had the proper care and caution been used.
Car accidents are one of the most commonly occurring accidents that a person can be involved in. According to statistics, a person is far more likely to be injured or killed in a car accident than in something such as an airplane crash. In fact, car accidents are so likely that most people will be involved in at least one in their lifetime.
Car accidents are the leading cause of death in children below the age of 14 – a frightening statistic when one considers just how much time we spend in the car each day. Car accidents also happen to be a leading cause of alcohol-related death for underage drivers. Compared to other drivers, underage drivers claim the highest percentage of alcohol
-related fatal crashes.
Injuries sustained in car accidents vary greatly – from minor bumps and bruises to whiplash injuries to even wrongful death. The sad truth about the majority of car accidents is that they are typically caused by driver negligence as opposed to any other reason.
In total, alcohol-related crashes are the cause of approximately 40% of all car accidents – with the remaining accidents being largely the result of driver distraction. What sorts of activities, however, are considered to constitute distracted driving?
Any type of activity that takes the driver’s eyes or hands off the wheel would be categorized under driver distraction. This can also include eating while driving, using a cell phone while driving, or reading a map while driving. In fact, texting while driving has become a global problem, causing countless accidents worldwide. Texting while driving has created so much devastation, that many states have banned texting while driving all together.
Driver distraction isn’t limited to the above examples. Many women are guilty of applying mascara or eyeliner while driving, while some men have even used an electric shaver while behind the wheel. Plenty of parents have been heavily distracted by their children in the backseat, while non-parents have had their friends seriously distract them from driving because they were fooling around.
Regardless of the reasons or causes, driver distraction is a serious threat to other drivers on the road. When a person makes a momentary mistake, it can cost other people their lives. Being a victim in a car accident can be a horrific experience; the situation gets even grimmer when the victim is seriously injured or killed as a result of another person’s negligence or recklessness.
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a car accident, your first step should be to get all necessary medical attention. After that, you should immediately consult with a compassionate personal injury attorney who can help protect your legal rights. An experienced lawyer can handle all the necessary paperwork for you, while dealing with the insurance company at the same time. This way, you can focus on what matters most, taking care of yourself and your family.
