New AAA Study Indicates That Many Drivers Are Participating in Unsafe Behavior While Driving a Vehicle

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety indicates that close to 90% of drivers engaged in at least one risky behavior while operating a vehicle in just the past month. These unsafe behaviors include driving impaired, distracted or drowsy as well as refusing to wear a seatbelt, running a red light or speeding. In 2014, nearly 33,000 Americans died as a result of car crashes. 2015 data indicate that there could be as high as a 9% increase in these numbers.

Bad Behavior Still Prevalent Despite Personal Connections with Accidents

Although many people have experienced the personal ramifications of car accidents, since one in three drivers have had a relative or friend who are seriously injured or killed in an accident and one in five have been involved in some kind of serious accident, these common unsafe behaviors still persist. 70% of drivers reported talking on a cellphone while driving in the last 30 days. One third of them reported doing this regularly. Just over 40% of drivers admitted to reading emails or text messages while driving in the last month.

Speeding and Distraction are a Deadly Combination

Nearly half of all drivers reported going 15 miles per hour or more over the speed limit on a freeway and 15% of drivers indicated that they do so on a regular basis. Previous research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates that distracted driving and speeding can be significant causes of car accidents. Distracted driving is a factor in a minimum of 3,000 deaths across the country but the actual number may be much higher. Speed plays a factor in the death of more than 10,000 individuals per year.

Injured in a Car Accident? Talk To A Rhode Island Personal Injury Lawyer – FREE

If you have been injured in a serious car accident in Rhode Island because of someone else’s negligence, you need to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Only a knowledgeable attorney can tell you more about whether or not you meet the grounds for filing a case to fight the insurance company for compensation. An experienced car accident attorney from Tapalian Law can help you with all the complicated aspects of handling your personal injury claim so that you can focus on your medical needs and moving on from an accident like this. There are time limits to file personal injury claims, so schedule your free consultation to get started today.