Conflicting attitudes about distracted driving

Most New York drivers would probably agree with the view that distracted driving should be illegal since it is often a factor in accidents that result in injuries and death. Interestingly, however, they might also be part of the large percentage of drivers who admit that they are sometimes distracted while driving but believe they can handle it.

According to a study by Progressive Insurance, over 90 percent of drivers believe distracted driving should be illegal, and a large majority of drivers believe that distracted driving is the major factor in car accidents. In contrast, about a third of all drivers also admit to driving while distracted but defend the action because they believe they are able to engage in the behavior and still drive well.

Distracted driving includes texting and driving, using social media, talking on the cellphone while driving and dealing with other electronic devices that might be in use in a car's dashboard. In 2015, there were 3,477 deaths and 391,000 injured people from accidents in which a distracted driver was involved.

The attitudes about distracted driving are also affected by age and gender, with 62 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 34 believing they can successfully text and drive compared with only 6 percent of those 55 and older feeling they can do so as well. In the same way, 21 percent of males believe in their own ability to text and drive while only 11 percent of women show this confidence. However, 62 percent of drivers feel concerned when they notice another driver using their cellphone while driving and 50 percent feel irritated.

Distracted driving continues to be a factor in many accidents. If someone is a victim of a car accident due to distracted driving, they might decide to file a personal injury claim. To do this, they might seek the guidance of a personal injury lawyer who might offer help through the entire process.