West Virginia residents who think that only young drivers become distracted should know that there are three distinct types of distractions: those that take one’s eyes off the road, one’s hands off the steering wheel and one’s mind off of driving. It’s clear, then, that even daydreaming, which everyone is prone to, constitutes a distraction. The more serious forms of distractions, such as calling and texting, are widespread among virtually age group.
What the CDC found out
Drivers should consider what the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control has to say. In 2018, a total of 2,841 people died in distracted driving crashes. Only 237 of the drivers involved were between the ages of 15 and 19, which is less than the 256 drivers aged 70 or older who were involved in fatal distracted driving crashes.
The majority of the drivers involved were aged 20 to 29, their number coming to 680. However, one should not discount the percentage of these drivers who were found to have been distracted at the time of the crash. For 20- to 29-year-olds, it was 8%. For teenagers, it was 9%. Of those 70 and older, 5% were distracted; 5% was also the percentage for those in their 30s and in their 40s.
A lawyer to help you pursue a case
When distracted driving is behind motor vehicle crashes, it may form the basis for a personal injury claim. In this state, plaintiffs are eligible to recover damages as long as the defendant bears more of the blame than they do. Nevertheless, there’s bound to be some opposition from the other side, so you may do well to hire a lawyer. A lawyer might especially help when negotiating a settlement that covers all your related monetary and non-monetary losses.
