It’s hard to imagine nine out of 10 people in Denver agreeing on almost anything. But according to the state’s transportation authorities, 92 percent of Colorado motorists believe it is okay to be a distracted driver.
The Colorado Department of Transportation said it surveyed drivers as part of a report released in October. In the survey, 92 percent admitted to committing distracted driving at least once in the previous seven days. Though there are many ways drivers can distract themselves, cellphone use is one of the most common. Too many drivers give in to the temptation to read or type text messages, change the song that is playing or use their phone for something else.
Why distracted driving is so dangerous
Distracted drivers have a reduced ability to perceive what is going on around them. Their reaction times are compromised. Everybody knows by now that distracted driving is unsafe, but they still do it. As a result, they greatly increase the chances of causing a serious car accident. CDOT reports that in 2019, there were 15,143 distracted driving crashes that caused 4,361 injuries and 28 deaths. Virtually every one of those injuries and fatalities was entirely preventable. Had the distracted drivers in those wrecks chosen to focus on the road instead, those 28 people might still be alive today.
Also, of those thousands of people injured by a distracted driver, it is likely that at least hundreds of them were seriously hurt and needed thousands of dollars worth of medical care. Some of them may still be disabled and unable to work today. Despite this, they may be struggling to get the distracted driver’s insurance company to pay fair compensation for their damages, which may also include lost wages, pain and suffering and reduced qualify of life. Their best chance of a successful fight against the insurance company is to get help from a personal injury attorney.