Distracted Driving Study Reports 1 in 4 Drivers Used Their Phone Just Prior to a Crash

Texting while driving makes it 23 times more likely to be in a crash. About 19% of drivers have admitted to surfing the web while driving, and 77% of teens have heard adults tell them not to text or email while driving yet those same adults can be seen doing those things, "all the time." (Do Something.org) Cambridge Mobile Telematics released a study which reported that almost one in four drivers was using a phone within a minute before a crash. The study also found that drivers engage in distractions during 52 percent of the trips that ended in a crash. Researchers identified the following locations in Chicago as the worst spots for distracted driving:

• The drop-off areas at O'Hare and Midway airports
• Solidarity Drive between the Field Museum and the Adler Planetarium
• Lakeshore Drive and Grand Avenue
• King Drive and the Stevenson Expressway

The National Safety Council cites distracted driving as playing a role in traffic fatalities having risen by 14% over the last two years, and The Governor's Highway Safety Association has attributed the 11% increase in pedestrian deaths to drivers distracted by smartphones.

Using a hand-held device while driving is illegal in Illinois

Illinois' ban on hand-held electronic devices went into effect in 2014, and stat police have issued more than 31,000 tickets for the offense according to Master Sgt. Mike Link in a story in the Chicago Tribune. The penalty starts at $75 and could go as high as $150 for a repeat offender.

Mobile app developer, Cambridge Mobile Telematics, developed an app called, Drive Well, which is sold to insurance companies who then re-brand it and offer it to their customers. The app uses the phone's accelerometer, GPS and gyroscope to measure the speed a person is traveling, hard braking and phone use while driving. Driving anything higher than 9 mph while using the phone constitutes distracted driving. The app can help drivers improve their driving, and it can allow insurance companies to offer incentives to drivers to keep their scores up.

The city of Boston used a similar app to conduct a safe driving contest with $4,500 in prizes as part of it "Vision Zero" initiative based on the national effort by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's goal to eliminate traffic fatalities by 2030.

The story in the Tribune reports that Chicago is developing its own "Vision Zero" plan.

Distracted driving is reckless driving that does not take into consideration the safety of the other drivers with whom they share the roadways. If you were injured in a car accident that was the result of distracted driving, our auto accident lawyers have developed a strong reputation for winning fair compensation for those injured in many types of accidents. At Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers, we fight for every dollar you deserve. For immediate help, you are welcome to call 312-600-9585 or fill out our contact form to arrange to discuss your case with an aggressive advocate for your interests.