Distracted driving is one of the most common causes of road accidents. Statistics show that eight people die every day due to injuries from accidents caused by distracted driving. These accidents also come with massive economic consequences.
Here is a guide to distracted driving and how it affects your insurance.
What is distracted driving?
The law requires drivers to exercise due care while operating motor vehicles and should not engage in any other activity that distracts from the vehicle’s safe operation. Therefore, the driver must concentrate on the road at all times and avoid any action that might be distractive.
Anytime you speak of distracted driving, you are predisposed to think about driving while texting. Well, that is not the full scope. Even though texting while driving is a significant distraction, there is more. These distractions can be grouped as;
- Visual – this is a distraction that means you have to take your eyes off the road. They can be both inside and outside the car. For example, changing a radio channel or staring at a roadside scene.
- Auditory – the auditory distractions are the ones that cause you to miss the various sound warnings like honks and rumble strips. For example, listening to music through earbuds while driving.
- Manual – this involves the driver taking away their hands from the wheels to tend to other activities like eating or putting on clothes when on the wheel.
- Cognitive – this is anything that keeps your mind away from driving. Examples include daydreaming or slumbering.
Implications of distracted driving on insurance premiums
Are you wondering if distractedness impacts your premiums? Yes, the insurance companies look into your records when determining your premiums.
For every distracted driving accident you cause, points get deducted from your driving license. These points reflect on your records for two years and range from 1 to 3, depending on the nature of the accident and the distractions.
For the longest time, insurance companies have refuted the use of distracted driving to calculate premiums. However, they use the points to determine your driving ability. It means if the distractions impact your points, then it affects the premiums. The more driving license points you have, the lesser premiums due to the less probability of the risk occurring.
The insurance companies have also realized most of the accidents happen due to distracted driving. So by increasing the premiums for drivers with distracted driving issues, they find a way to reduce casualties.
Most of the premium rate increase in recent times have been attributed to distracted driving. People are more addicted to their phones and are causing more accidents. As a result, some states have experienced an increase in premium rates as high as 20%.
Should you hire an attorney after a distracted driving accident?
Given the prevalence of distracted driving, you are likely to get involved in road accidents caused by distractions more than any other factor. You deserve compensation when a distracted driver causes the accident.
Like most of the other accidents, you first have to establish fault before you can seek compensation. Without a lawyer, you never know how to collect the necessary evidence. You might end up shouldering the blame. You will process, pay for damages, get points deducted from your license, and pay more for premiums.
To keep you safe, look for an experienced attorney to handle your distracted driving case. If you get injured in an accident involving a distracted driver, look for a Las Vegas personal injury attorney to represent you. The attorney understands all the provisions surrounding the new laws. They will collect and present the necessary evidence then seek the rightful compensation.