Residents of West Virginia who are thinking of taking a road trip during the summer should know this season is an especially risky one for drivers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that the summer sees 20 percent more miles driven than the winter; the months of June, July and August also see 29 percent more road deaths than December, January and February.
With more people on the road, there is more chance for distracted driving. TrueMotion, a smartphone telematics platform, studied the behavior of more than 20,000 drivers during the 8.4 million trips they took between January 2017 and May 2018. By considering sensor data from the company’s mobile app, TrueMotion Family, researchers were able to conclude that drivers spent more time distracted by their phones in June, July and August than other months.
Moreover, drivers were distracted for an average of 15 minutes out of every hour they drove. This came up to an increase of nearly 10 percent from the rest of the year. To raise awareness of this danger, the Travelers Institute hosted its Every Second Matters™ event. Travelers intends to get the conversation going about distracted driving so that this danger can be seen in the same light as driving drunk or without a seat belt.
When car accidents arise because of distracted driving or another form of negligence, victims who were not to blame might consider filing a third-party insurance claim. This may help cover losses like medical expenses and lost wages. With a lawyer, victims may have someone to speak on their behalf during negotiations or at the courtroom trial. A lawyer might also be able to factor in any contributory negligence and get investigators to gather proof against the defendant, such as cellphone records.
