Phones cause all manner of distractions behind the wheel. It started out with calls, leaving drivers with one hand on the wheel and thinking about their conversations. Then it progressed to text messages, with drivers looking down and typing as they drove.
Now, researchers note that phone apps are one of the biggest issues on the road. As more and more apps are created and gain popularity, the potential risk just increases.
One researcher said it was very concerning because there was typically no real reason to be using the app and driving. A driver may be on the phone because of some sort of emergency — even a mild one, like getting stuck in traffic and being late for work. With apps, though, really compelling reasons are typically missing. Drivers are just using them to be entertained and socialize with others.
That suggests that the problem could really be the mindset of the drivers. They are willing to put others at risk simply because they want to be entertained or are addicted to social media.
Researchers even asked people in their study if they knew that distractions were dangerous and could cause accidents. Most of the time, people said that they did. Even knowing those risks, they still decided that they wanted to use the apps behind the wheel.
Until this mindset changes, if it ever does, smartphones are going to put drivers in danger day in and day out. If you are hit by a distracted driver who was just looking for entertainment and not watching the road, you may want to know your rights to financial compensation.
Source: Engadget, “Are Apps a Plague Causing Car Accidents?,” Diogo Costa, accessed June 02, 2017
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