The month of April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. A recent insurance report reveals that social media use may continue to be a threat to roadway safety. In total, 90 days of social media was reviewed from sources including smartphones and tablets for the report. Reviewing social media hashtags revealed that drivers are taking photos and videos while driving, which remains a safety concern.
Drivers take a number of different types of photos while driving and post them on common social media websites such as Twitter and Instagram, the research found. Searching for one hashtag alone, “whiledriving,” on Instagram yielded 18,000 results. The research also revealed that Massachusetts ranked number seventh among all states in use of the hashtag. The findings support the AAA Foundation’s report that 87 percent of drivers have engaged in unsafe driving behaviors in the past 30 days prior to being asked about driving habits.
A senior vice president for the insurance company noted that while drivers should be keeping their hands on the wheel, eyes attentive to the road and focus on driving, at least some appear to be looking at the sunset and posting photos of what they observe. Alarmingly, the National Highway Traffic Administration found that in 2014, 3,179 victims were killed and 431,000 victims were injured in car accidents involving a distracted driver.
The injuries and suffering that can result from a distracted driving-related car accident can be significant. In accordance, victims may suffer a number of damages related to the harm caused in a distracted driver-related car accident. It is important for victims to be aware that the legal process provides options and resources to help.
Source: Boston.com, “Massachusetts drivers use the #whiledriving hashtag a lot, which is not good,” Sanjay Salomon, April 4, 2016
