Louisiana residents probably know about the hazards of texting and driving; however, there are an array of other distractions that can take away the attention of a driver. More people now use their phones not just to talk or text but to play games and look at social media while driving.
One study conducted in part by Liberty Mutual Insurance reported that 70 percent of 2,500 surveyed teens admitted to using apps and driving while only 6 percent of these respondents thought posting on or looking at social media was one of the biggest dangers teens face while driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that distracted driving causes at least eight deaths and 1,000 injuries each day; however, getting accurate data is difficult.
Distracted driving accidents seem to be under-reported, but those who have personally been impacted by this issue are often at the front of education efforts to inform others. A woman who lost her mother when a 20-year-old driver went through a stoplight while talking on the phone started a website and advocacy group to bring more attention to how crashes like this could happen to anyone. A father of two also became a part of this cause after a 2014 accident killed his wife and daughters as they were bike riding. A man hit the family when he was making a loan payment on his phone.
Those who suffer injuries after a wreck may be able to seek compensation for medical expenses and other related costs if the crash was caused by a negligent driver. In a case like this, a plaintiff typically needs to demonstrate that a crash would have been preventable if the driver was not acting irresponsibly.