Drivers in Virginia and elsewhere are more likely to be distracted by their cellphones during the summer according to a recent analysis by TrueMotion. As a result of the data, the Travelers Institute is warning drivers to keep their eyes on the road while going on summer vacations and road trips. In June, the Travelers Institute and TrueMotion partnered to present a symposium on distracted driving in Washington, D.C.
Researchers from TrueMotion, a smartphone telematics platform, examined the behavior of over 20,000 drivers from January 2017 until May 2018. They found that drivers were more distracted by their phones in June, July and August than during other months. In particular, they found that drivers used their cellphones approximately 15 minutes of each hour driven during the summer, which is about 10 percent more than they used their phones at other times of the year.
Distracted driving is always dangerous, but it can be especially risky during the summer. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that Americans drive 20 percent more miles during the summer than they do in the winter. There are also more pedestrians on the streets during the summer than during cooler months. The added miles and extra pedestrians mean that there is greater potential for distracted drivers to get into accidents. In fact, statistics show that there are 29 percent more traffic deaths in June, July and August than during December, January and February.
Each year, thousands of motor vehicle accidents are caused by distracted driving. Victims of distracted driving crashes might want to discuss their legal options with a personal injury attorney. An attorney may be able to use police reports, cellphone records and other evidence to prove that the at-fault driver is legally responsible for the accident. As a result, the injured victim might be awarded a financial settlement.
Source: Business Wire, “Travelers Cautions Motorists of Increased Risk for Distracted Driving in Summer,” June 13, 2018