In the summer, as most drivers in New York are aware, more people are on the road for vacations and holiday celebrations. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that drivers travel 20 percent more miles in summer than in winter. It also states that the months of June, July and August see 29 percent more deaths on America’s roads than the months of December, January and February.
June, July and August also happen to be the months when drivers look most at their phones rather than the road, according to a study by TrueMotion. Using sensor data from their distracted driving mobile app, the smartphone telematics platform analyzed the behavior of more than 20,000 drivers during the trips that they took from January 2017 to May 2018. It found that in the summer, drivers are distracted for an average of 15 minutes per hour, which is 10 percent more than in the rest of the year.
This data was brought up during the Every Second Matters™ event that took place June 15 on Capitol Hill. Hosted by the Travelers Institute, the symposium was meant to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving while providing practical safety tips. Travelers hopes that the public will soon regard distracted driving in as negative a light as it does driving drunk or without a seat belt.
People who have been harmed in an accident that was caused by the negligence of another motorist might want to meet with an attorney to discuss their options. One step that might be taken at the outset is the negotiation of a settlement with the at-fault driver’s insurer, but a lawsuit might be necessary if the offer is inadequate.