Drivers in Oklahoma and across the United States are having difficulty putting their cellphones down when they get behind the wheel, according to a new survey by The Travelers Companies. The survey, entitled the 2019 Travelers Risk Index, was conducted with the assistance of Hart Research.
For the survey, researchers polled over 2,000 U.S. consumers and executives. They found that almost 80 percent of respondents talked on their cellphones while driving and over 30 percent say they’ve narrowly avoided a crash because they became distracted behind the wheel. They also found that businesses pressure employees to stay in contact while out of the office and largely fail to discourage the use of cellphones while driving.
The survey also discovered that 44 percent of people text or email while driving. Meanwhile, 23 percent of people use social media, 22 percent take photos or record videos and 15 percent shop online while behind the wheel. The survey’s participants showed reluctance to give up such behaviors, with 13 percent saying they would find it difficult to stop reading texts and emails while driving, 11 percent indicating it would be hard to stop writing texts and emails while behind the wheel and 5 percent saying they wouldn’t want to stop online shopping while operating a vehicle. Finally, 19 percent claimed they would continue to use their cellphones while driving even if it was illegal.
Distracted drivers who cause car accidents could be held accountable in civil court. For example, a victim injured in a distracted driving crash could file a personal injury lawsuit against the negligent driver. As a result, the at-fault driver could be ordered to pay for a victim’s medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages and more. An attorney could review a victim’s case and help prepare a claim.