A recent study by Cambridge Mobile Telematics detailed the prevalence of distracted driving, which is involved in the majority of automotive crashes in the United States.
Cambridge Mobile Telematics, a company that makes driving applications for auto insurance companies, found that distracted driving occurred during 52 percent of motor vehicle crashes. Moreover, nearly one in four drivers were using phones within a minute before a crash occurred.
The study, which looked at more than 100,000 drivers over a period of 18 months, also detailed the worst spots for distracted driving in major cities. In Chicago, the most distracted spots were the intersection of Lake Shore Drive and Grand Avenue, the drop-off areas at O’Hare and Midway Airports, along Solidarity Drive between the Adler Planetarium and the Field Museum, and the intersection of Martin Luther King Drive and the Stevenson Expressway.
According to the National Safety Council, traffic fatalities have risen by 14 percent over the last two years. Along with the improved economy and low gas prices, which have increased the number of vehicles on the road, distracted driving is believed to be a significant factor in the fatality spike, a theory the recent study seems to confirm, particularly with regard to cellphone use.
The study also found that cellphone bans make only a minor dent in distracted driving. In states with laws against using phones while driving, like Illinois, the average driver spends 3.17 minutes on the phone per 100 miles. In states without laws banning cellphone use, the average is 3.82 minutes per 100 miles.
GWC prosecutes a wide variety of injury cases throughout Illinois, including those involving distracted driving accidents, workers’ compensation, construction accidents, medical malpractice, and product liability. If you or your loved one has been injured by a distracted driver or by some other means, please contact our office for a free legal consultation to see if you may be eligible for financial compensation for your injuries.
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