Spotlight on Teen Distracted Drivers in California

For many years, researchers believed that distraction was only a factor in a tiny percentage of teen driver crashes. Recent evidence shows that distraction is a factor in over half of such car crashes. Part of that underreporting may be because many emergency responders don’t have a code for distracted drivers. Moreover, the lower estimates probably didn’t consider all the possible types of distraction that teen drivers must deal with. More on that below.

The duty of care requires all motorists, whether they’ve been driving for fifty years or fifty minutes, to focus on driving matters and avoid accidents when possible. Teenagers often multitask their way through their days. Almost any parent of almost any teenager will tell you that. Multitasking is at least somewhat acceptable in most situations. But it’s completely unacceptable when behind the wheel. If a breach of duty causes injury, a Carlsbad personal injury lawyer can obtain substantial compensation for victims.

External Distractions

No one has complete control over their environments. In many cases, teens allow their environments to control them, or in this case, distract them. Possible external distractions in SoCal include:

• Other Vehicles: Many teens have a hard time controlling their emotions. Feeling extreme anger over being cut off or paying attention to a cute guy or girl in another vehicle often monopolizes a teen’s mind, at least for a few seconds. On the road, a lot can happen in those few seconds.
• Eating and Drinking: Many teens, like many other people, eat and drink almost constantly. A hand that’s on a Coke or a sandwich is a hand that isn’t on the wheel, where it belongs. Furthermore, when behind the wheel, many people pay more attention to their snacks than the road.
• Device: This external distraction is probably the big one. California has a hands-free law that prohibits such device use while driving. That law doesn’t stop many people from using their devices. Hands-free devices are almost as bad. They allow drivers to keep both hands on the wheel. But hands-free devices are visually and cognitively distracting.

Passengers also distract teens. For this reason, many new drivers cannot drive with non-family passengers. Other kinds of external distractions include animals on or near the road, personal grooming while driving, and fiddling with vehicle technology features, like a touchscreen display.

Internal Distractions

Internal distractions are just as dangerous. They include emotional distress, cognitive distraction (daydreaming), fatigue, and purposeless driving.

Those last two points merit a little more attention. Many high school students start their days very early in the morning. Most people are naturally fatigued at this time, even if they slept well the night before. Statistically, teens are less likely to crash if they’re driving to school, church, work, or with a similar purpose.

Compensation in a distracted driver case usually includes money for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering.

Other drivers and passengers alike are entitled to the same compensation. Many injured passengers don’t partner with Carlsbad personal injury lawyers because they don’t want to “blame” a driver, especially a new driver, for an “accident.”

Understand that civil actions don’t blame anyone for anything. Furthermore, passengers are often subject to the same injuries, which means they have the same needs.

Work With a Diligent San Diego County Lawyer

Injury victims are entitled to substantial compensation. For a confidential consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Carlsbad, contact the Pursley Law Firm. Virtual, home, and hospital visits are available.

Source:

newsroom.aaa.com/2015/03/distraction-teen-crashes-even-worse-thought/