New Survey Shows Distracted Driving is an Epidemic

September 21, 2016

Distracted driving has become a growing threat to driver safety, as there was an 8.8 percent increase in fatal accidents related to distracted driving from 2014 to 2015, according to data released last month by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

However, a new survey from auto insurance company Everquote reveals that many drivers engage in distracted driving behaviors while holding the seemingly contradictory belief that they are safe drivers.

The survey, which consisted of responses from 2,300 drivers, found that 96 percent of the surveyed respondents believe they are safe drivers, but 56 percent of that group admitted to using their phones while driving.

The survey also included data on 35,000 drivers from the Everdrive smartphone app, which revealed that 96 percent of drivers used their cell phones a minimum of one time in the last 30 days, averaging one call per trip. Moreover, the typical driver is engaged with their phone for 0.4 miles of every 11 miles.

Speeding is Also a Growing Problem

The NHTSA data released last month also shows that traffic fatalities from speeding are on the rise, as there was a three percent increase in these accidents from 2014 to 2015.

Given these statistics, drivers have some alarming beliefs about speeding, according to the Everquote survey.

Researchers found that 42 percent of drivers do not think traveling at 10 mph over the speed limit is speeding, while 10 percent indicated they do not believe driving 20 miles over the speed limit is considered speeding.

Driving at 10 mph or 20 mph over the speed limit is very dangerous, as national data shows that increasing your speed by just 10 mph increases your risk of a crash by more than nine percent.

If you have been injured in a car accident with a distracted driver, call the auto accident injury lawyers at Phillips Law Group today to discuss your claim for free.

Our injury attorneys provide personalized attention and we are dedicated to fighting for maximum compensation for the damages you have experienced.

Contact us today by calling 1-800-706-3000 .