North Carolina residents are becoming more familiar with the dangers of texting and driving. While this is certainly a major issue, other types of bad driving behaviors can also be just as distracting and dangerous.
Not all drivers realize that checking social media and using apps on their smartphones while driving is potentially deadly. People use their smartphones while they drive to check Facebook, LinkedIn, SnapChat, Twitter, Google Maps and other distracting applications. More recently, there have been accidents involving drivers playing Pokemon Go. In one case, a man playing the game collided with a parked police cruiser.
A study by the National Safety Council reveals that this problem is not one that is just limited to teen drivers. In a survey of 2,400 drivers of all ages, the NSC found that 74 percent said they check Facebook while they drive. Another study by Liberty Mutual Insurance found that almost 70 percent of 2,500 surveyed high schoolers used social media apps while they were driving. However, only 6 percent of those teens identified that doing so was among the most dangerous distracted driving activities.
Car accidents have the potential to permanently alter the course of people’s lives, leaving them with permanent disabilities and a reduced quality of life. People who are injured in accidents caused by distracted drivers might want to meet with a personal injury lawyer to learn about filing a lawsuit. Injured victims may be able to receive financial compensation for medical costs, lost wages and other damages.
