Car accidents can wreak severe havoc on victims’ lives. A car wreck can, and often does, result in severe injuries, property damage, and even death. Unfortunately, nearly 90% of all motor vehicle crashes are caused by human error.
In Las Vegas, auto accidents are caused by some common behaviors or conditions such as:
- Fatigued driving
- Distracted driving
- Driving while intoxicated
- Failing to obey traffic laws, including going over the speed limit and running red lights
- Bad weather or road conditions
- Defective vehicle equipment
About 660,000 drivers use a cell phone at any given time during the day. Cell phone use while driving is a known distraction. However, 77% of young adults think they can safely text and drive with over half calling it “easy” to do.
What drivers don’t realize is that the minimum amount of time their attention is taken away from the road while texting is about five seconds. For a car traveling at 55 miles per hour, that amount of time equals driving the length of a football field without looking at the road.
By How Much Does Cell Phone Use Increase the Risk of a Crash?
Advancing technology has certainly made it easier to stay in touch with others and to get tasks done, but it has also vastly increased the chances of someone getting hurt or even killed due to distracted driving.
The following current statistics surrounding cell phone use while driving are shocking:
- A driver who is texting while driving is 23 times more likely to end up in a crash.
- Dialing while driving makes a crash 2.8 times more likely.
- Talking or listening on the phone while driving makes a crash 1.3 times more likely.
- Reaching for a cell phone while driving makes a crash 1.4 times more likely.
If you, or a loved one, have been injured in a motor vehicle wreck caused by distracted driving, securing qualified and experienced legal representation is the first step you should take.
Bertoldo Carter Smith & Cullen’s professional Las Vegas car accident attorneys can evaluate your auto accident claim and help you secure the maximum compensation possible under the law.