How Do You Spot a Distracted Driver?
| April 5th, 2021
An average of eight people die in distracted driving crashes every single day in the U.S. And every year, around 400,000 people are injured in crashes involving distracted drivers.
The number of distracted driving accidents has only increased as smartphones are now commonplace for most U.S. consumers. That’s despite countless warnings from safety advocates, legislators, and law enforcement officials that drivers should never use mobile devices behind the wheel.
The chances are good that on your next commute, you’ll be sharing the road with someone whose focus is not on driving. But how do you identify these drivers so you can avoid them?
Identifying Distracted Drivers
A driver can be distracted visually, manually, or cognitively, and it’s important to recognize patterns of distracted driving so you can avoid being injured by one.
There are several signs that a driver is distracted, including:
- Hunching over in the driver seat
- The glow of a screen illuminating their face
- Visibly interacting with a passenger instead of facing forward
- Swerving or drifting outside of their traffic lane
- Failing to slow or come to a stop when a light is red or when cars are stopped ahead of them
- Erratic braking
- Traveling at inconsistent speeds
- Failing to drive when a traffic light turns green
- Eating, drinking, or smoking behind the wheel
What to Do if You Notice a Distracted Driver
If you spot a distracted driver on the road, do your best to keep a safe distance. That means leaving plenty of space between your vehicle and theirs, doing your best to speed up (or slow down) to get as far away as possible.
If a driver is stalled in front of you at a red light or veering into your lane, don’t hesitate to use your vehicle’s horn to get their attention, especially if you feel you’re in danger of a collision.
When You’re Injured by a Distracted Driver, You Have Legal Options
Whenever any negligent driver causes you harm, you have the right to hold that driver responsible for the costs you face because of their negligence. In most cases, the at-fault driver’s insurance company will be the one paying for the medical bills, property damage, lost income, pain, and suffering you’ve experienced.
Distracted driving is one of the most common forms of negligence, and there are many ways to prove that the other driver was responsible for your crash. Ultimately, an injured person’s attorney can look at police reports, talk to witnesses, and gather other forms of evidence to show that the driver’s recklessness led to the accident.
If you’ve been injured by a negligent driver, make sure you fully understand how much the crash will cost you. An attorney will also be able to help you calculate your damages, so you can be sure you aren’t taken advantage of by an insurance company.
If You’ve Been Injured, Contact Berg Injury Lawyers
At Berg Injury Lawyers, our California car accident lawyers have years of experience holding at-fault drivers responsible for the damages they’ve caused our clients. If you’d like to speak to an attorney at no cost, contact our team today for a free, no-obligation case review.
