Many drivers use their phones, and in doing so, they often break the law. Every state has different laws. Arkansas, for instance, bans all texting and bans hand-held phone conversations in school and highway work zones as well as among drivers aged 18 to 20. These laws are meant to keep the roads safe since phone use is distracting to drivers.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines a distraction as anything that diverts a driver from the task of driving. Distractions, then, can include everything from eating and drinking to talking with passengers. Radios and navigation systems can become just as much a source of distraction as phones. However, studies have more closely analyzed the role of phones in distracted driving crashes.
It is especially clear that texting and other activities that require drivers to manipulate their phone raise the risk for a crash. As for talking on a phone, researchers are not yet agreed about their impact.
Though new technology is causing more distraction, it could be technology that curbs it, too. Crash avoidance tech has shown promise in that regard. Many vehicles have infotainment systems that can be controlled through voice commands, making it unnecessary for drivers to take their eyes off the road. Certain apps can limit or restrict phone access while the vehicle is moving.
The choice of whether or not to be negligent is up to individual drivers to make. Those who are injured through another’s negligent actions may seek compensation by pursuing a personal injury case, but they may want a lawyer to guide them through the rather complicated process. Plaintiffs can recover damages as long as their degree of fault does not exceed the defendant’s. Any degree of fault reduces the amount recoverable, but with a lawyer, victims may strive for the maximum settlement.