Distracted driving: bad habits die hard

According to a recent study of 2,000 drivers, over 1 in 10, 13 percent, said that they would have a hard time putting their phones down while behind the wheel. This is the case even though it has been common knowledge for a long time that distracted drivers, especially those who are texting and driving, tend to cause serious car accidents.

The same study also found that many people may be continuing to text and drive because of subtle, or even not-so-subtle, pressure from their employers. While managers have said that they worry about their employees’ texting and driving, they also clearly expect that they will still be able to get ahold of their employees even if they are not in the office.

Overall, the study concluded that almost 44 percent of all drivers still text and drive from time to time despite all of the warnings and stepped-up enforcement efforts. On a related point, 23 percent of the 2,000 drivers admitted to following Facebook, Twitter, or other social media while driving, and 22 percent said that they take pictures of videos with their phone while on the road.

The study also reinforced the important point that distracted driving can and often does involve more than just one’s phone. For instance, 80 percent of all drivers admitted that they ate or drank a beverage while they were trying to drive. While this is a rather common behavior, it is still dangerous.

If anything, residents of Baton Rouge and other parts of Louisiana should recognize that if they get hurt in a car accident, it could well be because the other driver was distracted. If it turns out that this is the case, a victim may be able to get compensation from the responsible driver.