Young Drivers Are At The Highest Risk For Distracted Driving
When you operate your automobile, it is critically important that you pay attention to the act of driving and your surroundings. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that anything that pulls your attention away from driving makes you a distracted driver. Distracted drivers increase the chances of car accidents happening. Distracted driving accidents are entirely preventable.
Since young drivers are still learning and developing their driving skills, they should be acutely focused on the act of driving. Yet, the data shows that it is young drivers and teens who are the highest risk group for distracted driving.
If a distracted driver hits you, then you have rights, and you can speak with an attorney to learn more about what you can do to recover compensation. In Oregon, the Portland distracted driver lawyers at Rosenbaum Law Group can help you with your car accident injury claim.
Younger Drivers are More Vulnerable to Distracted Driving
The CDC reports that young adults and teens are the most vulnerable demographic to the dangers of distracted driving, more so than any other age group. Specifically, distracted driving fatal crashes had a higher percentage of drivers in the 15-20 age range than all other age ranges over 21.
Examples of distracted driving include but are not limited to:
- Eating while driving.
- Texting or reading emails on a phone while driving,
- Zoning out and thinking of things other than driving.
- Turning around to talk to noisy passengers.
- Looking at GPS while driving.
Any and all distractions when you are a driver put you and your passengers in danger, and everyone on the roads is in danger of harm because of the higher likelihood of an accident happening.
Distracted driving is such a problem throughout the United States that as many as nine people die every day in fatal distracted driving crashes. As many as one in five people who lose their lives as a result of distracted drivers are not even in a car. These are people walking, riding their bikes, or just being outside.
As a result, several laws are in place and meant to prevent distracted drivers. Additionally, national public health campaigns informing the public of distracted driving risks are raising awareness.
Since young drivers are at such risk of distracted driving, parents should advise their young drivers against distracted driving. Also, they should be an example by not engaging in distracted driving.
Passengers can help reduce distracted driving too. Passengers should remain calm while traveling in a car and remind a driver that they can help if they notice the driver being distracted.
Speak to an Oregon Distracted Driver Accident Attorney Today
It only takes seconds for a driver to look away from the road, take their mind off driving, or remove their hands from the wheel for a deadly accident to occur.
If you were in a car accident in Oregon and would like help with a claim, please call our Portland personal injury lawyers at Rosenbaum Law Group at (503) 288-8000 to schedule a free consultation today.
Source:
cdc.gov/distracted-driving/about/index.html
