Beware of Daydreaming Drivers in Portland, OR
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), distracted driving accidents lead to the death of more than 3,300 people each year in the United States, while another 387,000 victims are seriously injured. This, in turn, means that approximately 18% of all accidents resulting in injury are caused by distracted driving practices. Many people assume that the most obvious culprit would be the significant increase in the amount of people who text and drive or talk on their cell phones while behind the wheel, but you may be shocked to hear that daydreaming has actually proven to be much more dangerous. Recently, the Eerie Insurance Group conducted a study in which they discovered that this form of distracted driving contributes to an astounding number of accidents each year—namely due to the fact that daydreaming is a cognitive distraction, rather than a manual or visual one.
When examining the causes of more than 65,000 fatal car accidents, the Eerie Insurance Group found that approximately 10% were caused by distracted driving. Of this 10%, an unsettling 62% were attributed to daydreaming. The study concurrently concluded that around 12% were caused by cell phone use, and numerous others were caused by rubbernecking and having pets in the vehicle. To quote the Eerie Senior Vice President, Doug Smith, “the results were disturbing.” Most people unknowingly assume that they would only be engaging in distracted driving if they have physically removed their hands from the wheel or taken their eyes off of the road, but it is important to understand that letting your mind wander could be far more dangerous. In doing so, one could effectively detach themselves from the task at hand, so there is no telling what could happen.
If you or someone you love has been injured by a distracted driver in Oregon, you should not hesitate to discuss your case with a Portland personal injury attorney from the Law Offices of Timothy Grabe. We will investigate the circumstances of your accident and determine which course of action is most appropriate for your case—whether you are interested in filing an insurance claim or pursuing a civil lawsuit in court—so do not hesitate to take the first step today. Our dedicated legal team works on a contingency fee basis, which means that we won’t ask you to pay us a thing unless we are able to favorably resolve your case. For this reason, you have nothing to lose by enlisting the professional help that you will need. Call our office today at 971-645-7176 or submit a free case evaluation form online for further information.
