There are all sorts of risk factors when it comes to motor vehicle crashes, some of which are out of a driver’s control (such as inclement weather). However, other factors are solely a result of a driver’s carelessness, such as the consumption of drugs or alcohol behind the wheel. In the digital era, many people are addicted to their smartphones, another major problem on roadways across the country. There are a number of reasons why people use their phones and this behavior is especially dangerous on the road.
Sometimes, drivers use their smartphones to make a phone call or listen to a voicemail. In other instances, they might watch a video, browse the web, read or send a text message or even take a picture or video. One fatal crash that recently occurred even involved a driver who was live streaming via a smartphone. Sadly, the use of smartphones behind the wheel is an extremely common type of distracted driving and has claimed many lives in recent years.
Unlike alcohol, which can be measured, it can be more difficult to prove a driver was distracted when a crash happened. However, distracted drivers should be held accountable for the suffering they cause, whether someone passes away or suffers a serious injury. Distracted drivers cause accidents in many different ways and it is unacceptable that so many people continue to use their phones while they should be focusing on the road.