Distracted driving places people at risk and can cause severe injuries and fatalities. New Yorker should know that these behaviors are dangerous and cause car accidents. Some of the most vulnerable people are those in school.
A recent study showed that two of the five most dangerous counties in the nation for distracted driving near schools are in New York. Caution is obviously the best option for people in school zones, but when there is an accident, this information can be essential to filing a legal case for compensation.
The researchers in the study from Zendrive stated that 88 percent of drivers in the U.S. are engaging in distractive behaviors by using their phones behind the wheel. One out of three are doing so while in a school zone. In the study, four million drivers were assessed as they drove close to 75,000 schools. Urban areas were found to be more dangerous than rural roads.
It is believed that the afternoon is far riskier for students than mornings. The CEO of Zendrive said that it is 40 percent worse. The time at which people are in the highest amount of jeopardy is between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., and 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. are particularly dangerous. It is believed that this is due to more people being on the road of rush hour.
Various counties from the East Coast to the West Coast, and everywhere in between, had high rates of distracted drivers. Given the danger that texting and driving and distracted drivers can place people in and with the research that shows those in school zones are at significant risk, it is unavoidable that there will be crashes involving these vehicles with other vehicles and even pedestrians. If it is a child who is hit, the damage can be massive.
Those who are in a crash because of a distracted driver must be aware of their rights to seek compensation for medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering and more. Discussing a case with a legal professional experienced in car accidents can help with the investigation and litigation.
Source: cbsnews.com, "Distracted driving study maps the most dangerous roads near schools," Sept. 14, 2017