It’s a likely assumption that you are a conscientious and routinely aware driver when engaged in traffic on one of Washington State’s varied roadways.
After all, you paused when finding this personal injury blog and have now dived into a post on the perils of distracted driving.
Which means you think about it. Clearly, not all motorists do.
In fact, reams of empirical research findings from vetted sources underscore that legions of drivers don’t spend a moment thinking about the flat-out scourge posed by distracted driving. Nor do they ponder the tragic results it yields in many instances.
They just surrender to the practice.
Statistics don’t lie: behind-the wheel distractions kill
Here is a number presented by a key national safety group that, while innocuous in itself, speaks volumes when fleshed out: 3,142.
That denotion sadly underscores the number of drivers and vehicle passengers who reportedly died in a recent year as the result of distracted driving. Candidly, the figure is likely understated; regulators can hardly pinpoint with certainty what spurred driver negligence in a given case.
This much is certainly known, though: The distracting catalysts that both figuratively and literally drive vehicle crashes and resulting injuries are many and varied, as noted by one proven Washington State personal injury legal source. They include these behaviors and more:
- Talking and texting on cellphones
- fiddling around with radio stations
- playing with kids and pets
- eating and drinking (including alcohol consumption)
- playing video games
- posting on or otherwise engaging with social media platforms
- dozing off; falling flatly asleep
Roads are unforgiving venues that demand every motorist’s complete attention and best behind-the-wheel efforts. Laxity is more than an occasionally concerning driver shortcoming. Indeed, it upends and destroys legions of innocent lives across the country each year.
Distracted driving report card: How does Washington rate?
Not well.
That is the assessment of one data-measuring organization examining Washington State’s comparative performance in the distracted driving realm.
In fact, study findings focused primarily on behind-the-wheel phone usage and roadway fatalities point to Washington drivers delivering a dismal performance. Reportedly, Washington motorists “are the fourth most distracted of any state in the country.”
Distracted driving victims and their loved ones can take meaningful legal action addressing wide-ranging needs in the wake of a vehicle crash tied to third-party negligence. A proven and empathetic legal team can play a key play in helping them pursue justice and a remedy marked by maximum compensation.
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