According to a recent study by Quotewizard, Nevada is taking a turn for the better when it comes to distracted driving. The study found that only 2.03% of all road fatalities that occurred in Nevada between 2013-2017 involved a distracted driver, ranking it as the third safest state when it comes to distracted driving fatalities. In total, Nevada had just 44 distracted road fatalities in Nevada in the five-year span. In comparison, 26.41% of all traffic fatalities in New Mexico involved a distracted driver, giving it the highest distracted driving fatality rate in the nation.
Nationally, distracted driving appears to be on the decline. In 2013, distracted driving fatalities accounted for 6.22% of all fatalities, while this number decreased to 5.3% in 2017. Quotewizard cited public awareness claims, like “It Can Wait” sponsored by AT&T, and technology, like hands-free talk and text, as potential contributing factors to the downtick in distracted driving deaths.
AAA Nevada representative Sergio Avila responded to the survey, saying that even though “it’s great [to] see a study that shows the number of distracted driving deaths is lower than most other states… 44 deaths in that time span is still a lot for something that is completely avoidable.”
Types of Distracted Driving
While texting and talking on the phone are spoken about most frequently (and for good reason: using a phone while driving reduces driving-associated brain activity by up to 37%), it is also important to recognize that not all distracted driving behaviors are illegal.
Other common types of dangerous distracted driving are:
- Overly engaging with a conversation with passengers
- Eating or drinking
- Adjusting music
- Looking at a GPS
- Adjusting the temperature in your car
- Zoning out/daydreaming
- Putting on makeup
If you or a loved one was injured in an traffic crash involving a distracted driver, it is important to seek help from an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at Steven J. Klearman & Associates in Reno, Nevada today at 775-573-0229 to discuss your legal options.
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