Texting and driving causes car accidents every day. It’s very dangerous and all drivers know that they’re not supposed to do it. In fact, even holding a phone in your hand while operating a vehicle is illegal in California. The idea is that people are not supposed to use mobile devices in the car at all, with the exception of some hands-free devices.
Unfortunately, the statistics show that this still happens all the time. People continue to text and drive, and they simply attempt to do so without getting caught. They violate regulations, believing they can do it safely, and often cause accidents as a result. Why has it been so difficult to get people to stop texting and driving?
Many drivers are addicted to their phones
Perhaps the biggest problem is that a lot of drivers grapple with, what is essentially, a cellphone addiction. It may qualify as a use disorder. They’re addicted to using their phones and they’re conditioned to want to use them all the time. This conditioning doesn’t stop just because they get in the car. Some people check their phones hundreds of times a day. After driving for 10 minutes, they will instinctively reach for the phone just to see if they’ve missed anything.
The conditioning can also be triggered by events that draw their attention. For instance, a driver may decide to never send a text message while driving, knowing that it’s dangerous. But what if their phone buzzes in their pocket? They know they got a notification. Are they really going to wait to check that notification until they get to their destination? They certainly should, both to be safe and to be in line with the current laws, but a lot of people will instinctively reach for their phones anyway.
Have you been injured in one of these accidents?
A big part of the problem with the widespread habit of texting and driving is that you can do everything in your power to stay safe, but you can still be injured if another driver is distracted and causes an accident. You have to contend with this risk every time you drive. If you have been injured, take the time to look into all of your legal options to seek financial compensation. Working with an experienced legal professional can help you to make informed decisions about each of these options in turn.
