Distracted Driving Accidents And Older Adult Motorists
When it comes to distracted driving crashes in and around Marietta, most people think about the risks posed by young drivers, particularly teenagers who get behind the wheel while using a smart phone to talk or text. Yet older adult drivers can also be at fault for distracted driving accidents. It is important to remember that distractions do not just involve smart phones or the act of texting while driving, and seniors certainly engage in distracting behaviors that have no connection to technology. At the same time, twenty-first century technology also distracts older drivers, from in-vehicle safety technology to smart cell phones. In short, older drivers can cause distracted driving car accidents.
Distractions Beyond Texting and Talking While Driving
The image of a distracted driver often conjures someone behind the wheel of a vehicle sending a text while traveling at 45 miles per hour or more down the road, yet it is important to know and to remember that distractions can include any behavior that takes your eyes, hands, or mind off the task of driving. Indeed, as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains, “anything that takes your attention away from driving can be a distraction,” and common examples of distractions that result in car crashes include but are not limited to:
- Sending or reading text messages;
- Talking on a phone;
- Using a navigation system (a GPS, for example);
- Eating a meal or a snack;
- Grooming; or
- Engaging in conversation with other passengers.
While the CDC reports that about 25 percent of all drivers involved in fatal distracted driving crashes are under the age of 29, everyone should remember that some of these distracting behaviors are common among motorists of all ages.
Older Drivers Can Be Distracted By Technology
Although we do not often think about older drivers as being distracted by technology in a car or causing a distracted driving accident while attempting to have a conversation on a smart phone or trying to send a text message, older drivers do engage in these distracting behaviors, too. According to a study from the University of California San Diego, about 60 percent of all older drivers use cell phones while they are driving, even if the use of hand-held phones is unlawful.
In addition, a study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reported that “older drivers are more likely to be distracted while driving when using in-vehicle technology than their younger counterparts.” To be sure, drivers between the ages of 55 and 75 routinely take their eyes off the road, and for a longer period of time (an average of about 8 seconds) to use in-vehicle technology while they are on the road.
Contact a Car Accident Attorney in Georgia
If you or someone you love sustained serious injuries in a collision caused by a distracted driver, it is essential to get in touch with our Marietta distracted driving accident attorneys as soon as possible to learn more about filing a claim for financial compensation. Contact The Strickland Firm to learn more about how we can assist you with your auto accident claim.
Resources:
usatoday.com/story/money/2019/07/25/driving-distracted-more-likely-older-drivers-aaa-says/1817362001/
health.ucsd.edu/news/releases/pages/2017-04-21-60-percent-of-seniors-use-cell-phones-while-driving.aspx#:~:text=Survey%3A%20Nearly%2060%20Percent%20of%20Seniors%20Use%20Cell%20Phones%20While%20Driving,-April%2021%2C%202017&text=Survey%20results%20done%20by%20the,engaging%20in%20distracted%20driving%20behaviors.
cdc.gov/transportationsafety/distracted_driving/index.html
