Conventional wisdom (and state law) suggests distracted driving would be on the decline while the number of people driving while illegally using car phones actually rose in 2018! The Office of Transportation Safety (OTS) positioned people around intersections and they noted that at any one moment 4.5 % of drivers were on their cell phone. That rate of use was increased from 3.6% in 2017! The peak year for drivers using cell phones while driving was 2016 at a whopping 7.6% of all drivers.
Rhonda Craft the head of OTS stated “Our goal is to end distracted driving and there’s still work to be done”. “This observational survey gives us an idea on where we stand getting drivers attention away from their phones and where we still have work to do.” The annual study was conducted in 204 locations in 17 counties during August and September 2018 by the OTS and Cal State University, Fresno.
“Social norms have changed when it comes to distracted driving” according to Craft. “When a driver’s perception of risk changes for certain behaviors like using their phone and driving, they are less likely to do something that can get them in trouble or worse, in a crash.” Under current law drivers can only use mounted phones and are limited to using them with one touch or one swipe to activate them. Other findings in the study include;
• Drivers Driving alone are 8 times more likely to use their phone.
• Drivers are more likely to use their phone on local roads.
• Drivers more typically use their phones to text or look at social media other than talk on the phone.
• Less than 2% of drivers use their phone with child passengers in the car.
We represent people who are injured because of the careless and reckless acts of others. At the end of the day your case can only be settled one time and you need to know all of the facts beforehand. The reason that insurance companies have paid our clients in excess of $130,000,000.00 is that we get the facts and are not intimidated at the prospect of going to trial when they refuse to follow the law. We help with serious issues that require serious representation. We are the Law Offices of Guenard & Bozarth. We have over 80 years of experience in our plaintiff’s only law firm. Call GB Legal 24/7/365 at 888-809-1075 or visit www.gblegal.com We Can Help!
