Is distracted driving underreported? Does this lessen the ability to pass stricter distracted driving laws?
According to a recent analysis of state and federal data by the National Safety Council, crash deaths in cases where drivers were on the phone are seriously underreported. The underreporting makes the problem of distracted driving appear less significant than it actually is, and impedes efforts to win passage of tougher laws, the council says.
In a study paid for in part by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company the group reviewed 180 fatal crashes from 2009 to 2011 in which there was strong evidence that the driver had been using a cellphone. Of the 2011 crashes, only half were coded in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s accident database as involving cellphone use, the study found. That was still better than previous years: Only 8 percent of the 2009 crashes examined were coded as involving cellphones, and 35 percent in 2010.
If you, or a loved one, are injured in a Pennsylvania car accident because of another driver or company who may have been driving distracted, contact an experienced Central Pennsylvania car accident lawyer at Schmidt Kramer. We can answer any questions or concerns you have about a Central Pennsylvania injury accident in Harrisburg, Carlise, Lancaster, Camp Hill, Hershey, Lebanon and all of Pennsylvania.
The toll-free number is (717) 888-8888 or dial 8 at 717-888-8888 and the case evaluation is free.
Alternatively, you may wish to download a free copy of our book Who Pays the Bills When You Are Injured in an Automobile Accident? for additional information.