A Look at Smartphone-Usage Related Driving Deaths

Smartphone technology has helped make life easy in many ways. Users can connect online and video call their friends. They can check emails, chat on social media and use many other features like taking photos but when done while driving, many a times, it turns fatal.

Despite the benefits, smartphones have also been a curse to many road users. According to NHTSA, 3,142 people died as a result of distracted driving. The National Safety Council reports that the smartphone is the top distraction because people carry their phones all the time.

How smartphones cause distracted driving

Cell phones distract a driver in many ways but the major ones are using the phone’s navigations system, texting, receiving/making calls, and using social media. These activities cause three types of distractions. Manual distraction is caused when a driver takes their hands off the steering. Visual distraction happens when the eyes are off the road and cognitive distraction when the mind wanders away.

If any of these distractions lead to an accident, the driver is advised to contact an accident attorney immediately for help. Devkota Law Firm is considered the best Kansas City personal injury lawyers because they have defended thousands of clients facing various road accident charges. They offer a free consultation for all accidents involving cars, bicycles, motorcycles, pedestrians, and other accidents like boats, trains, workplace injury, pharmaceutical, and police law.

The magnitude of the problem – statistics

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published statistics to show how big the problem is so that drivers can take precautions. According to the report, the US recorded 2,800 deaths and 400,000 injuries due to distracted driving in 2018.

Out of the total deaths recorded, one person in every five were pedestrians and cyclists who were not on the road. Between 2010 to 2018, the average number of annual deaths due to distracted driving was three thousand people.

The most at risk

The report published by CDC further says that out of the total deaths due to distracted driving, 25% were aged between 20 to 29 years. Teenagers were more likely to get distracted while driving than adults from 20 years and above and they accounted for 9% of the total deaths.

Further statistics by CDC show that in 2019 alone, 39 percent of teenage drivers sent a text or email while driving and older students were more likely to text than the younger ones. Despite the most affected age bracket, every road accident victim needs the services of car accident attorneys because of legal battles that might follow.

The smartphone is a worse distractor than a cell phone

The traditional cell phones that only contain keys and a small screen has very few features that would make a driver interested in using them while on the road. The only features available are texting and calling features. While on the road, the cell phone might cause fewer distractions, although they can still lead to fatal accidents.

The smartphone is the worst distraction because it has unlimited features like social media access, photos, chat, video calls, voice calls, audio chatting, streaming movies, etc. The gadget provides more chances of distracting a driver while on the road and can thus lead to more chances of accidents and serious injuries.

Hands-free use of the smartphone is not better

A smartphone is a smart gadget as far as technology is concerned but it’s not smart as far as driving is concerned. Although technology has provided a way out for hands-free use of the gadget, many motorists still get distracted. If a phone rings, they first want to know who’s calling before they pick, which immediately creates distracted driving.

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