Eighty Percent of All Car Accidents Have One Surprising Cause

If you've been in a car accident, the odds are that it was caused by one specific distracted-driving habit. Perhaps it's because this source increases a driver's reaction time by as much as 44 percent. It's not texting, as some would think, because that only increases the response length by 37 percent. It's not alcohol either, as even a 0.08 blood-alcohol level results in just a 12.5 percent rise. It turns out that 80 percent of wrecks, and a further 65 percent of all near-misses, are caused by someone who is eating while driving. The Facts We live in an age where everyone is in a hurry. Especially in the US, families sit down to eat meals together less every year. Recent studies show that as much as 17 percent of all meals are eaten in the car. Fast-food companies are capitalizing on it, creating "driving-friendly" meals. Even soup comes in drinkable cups, for an on-the-go lunch. Sadly, though, simply drinking increases the amount of time it takes a driver to respond by 22-percent. This means that the price we pay for convenience is our attention spans, and the result is distracted driving car accidents. In one survey, 76 percent of respondents admitted to eating behind the wheel. However, 99 percent of them thought they could do it safely, yet expressed concern about the ability of other drivers to do so. The Results Based on the statistics, it's clear that people understand how dangerous it is to drive while eating, but they don't believe it's as risky when they do it. Even still, eating uses a driver's visual, manual, and cognitive abilities, which is why it makes a driver slower to respond to hazards on the road. It also causes a driver to have difficulty following another vehicle at a safe distance, and to have trouble staying centered in a lane. Based on the CDC's distracted driving statistics, combined with the study's figures, there are an approximately 7 deaths and 922 injuries, caused every day by a driver who was eating. It's disheartening to think that 2,555 people die every year because a driver didn't wait until they got home to eat dinner, or that 336,530 more are injured over someone's cup of Joe to go. However, that's just what this data shows. It's not possible to eat while driving and remain properly focused on the road and when people choose to do it, they're risking the lives of everyone in their vehicle and everyone they share the streets with.

Charleston Car Accident Attorney

If you have lost a loved one to a distracted driver, or you have been injured in a wreck because the vehicle's operator failed to focus on the road, you may be entitled to compensation. You might need help to prove the other driver was eating, drinking, or doing another needless task, in order to receive a fair settlement. Let us know about your case or speak directly to one of our lawyers by calling 1(800)610-2546.