While New Jersey is one of many states that have enacted new legislation limiting the in-vehicle use of handheld cellphones, many motorists across the state and the rest of the nation continue to use their phones behind the wheel, regardless. At the Law Office of Cuneo & Leonetti, we have seen firsthand the damage distracted motorists often cause, and we have assisted many people who suffered injuries or experienced hardship following crashes involving distracted drivers seek recourse.
According to Forbes, the distracted driving problem continues to be a pervasive one across the nation, and so much so that distracted driving has become even more of a danger to the motoring public than drunk driving. Driving while distracted has also become far more common than driving while intoxicated, and statistics show that the behavior has led to an 83% increase in all types of collisions.
Just how frequently are today’s motorists driving while distracted by their phones? New research reveals that the number of people who are “addicted to their cellphones,” meaning they spend 28% or more of their time behind the wheel actively ignoring the roadway, has doubled within the last year alone. In other words, one in 12 American drivers is now a phone addict.
New research also shows that, depending on the time of day, somewhere between 60% and 80% of all drivers on the road are using their cellphones while controlling their vehicles. These figures suggest that, while states may be making more efforts to curb the distracted driving issue, legislation banning the action only does so much to prevent it. Find more about car wrecks on our webpage.