Louisiana motorists and pedestrians may be interested to learn that distracted driving could be a major factor in the increase in the number of pedestrian fatalities. While overall traffic fatalities have risen by 11 percent since 2009, pedestrian fatalities have increased by 46 percent in the same time period.
The problem with determining just how much impact distracted driving has had on the rise in pedestrian deaths is that it is difficult to track. Many motorists will not admit that they were distracted when the accident occurred, but a small number of indicators lead experts to believe that distracted driving could be a culprit. There have been many reports of drivers using their smartphones to make phone calls, read emails and send texts while they are in control of a vehicle. It was even noted that manufacturer infotainment systems could be a problem as they have been found to be distracting on some level.
It was noted that the problem did not just involve motorists. Pedestrians can also become easily distracted by their smartphones, causing them to potentially walk right into the street without checking for traffic. Even so, drivers are considered to have more of the responsibility for causing distracted driving accidents as they are the ones in control of dangerous and deadly equipment.
Accidents involving distracted driving have the potential to be extremely severe due to the fact that a driver may not have been paying attention to traffic lights, speed or other vehicles around them. Because these types of motor vehicle accidents can result in serious, life-impacting injuries, a personal injury attorney may help a person go through the process of filing a claim against the liable driver. The attorney may also deal with negotiations and determining the full amount of compensation to pursue.