Daydreaming is more dangerous than texting and driving

While many South Carolina drivers are aware of the dangers of texting and driving, they may not be aware that inattention and boredom when driving can be just as dangerous. In fact, a study found that 61 percent of fatal distracted driving accidents were actually caused by inattention to the road and not by technology.

Erie Insurance analyzed a nationwide database that records car accidents to determine what the causes were. Of the 172,000 fatal accidents that were included from the last five years, it was determined that about 10 percent of them were caused by distracted driving. When the numbers were analyzed even further, it was discovered that 61 percent of the distracted accidents were caused by drivers who were daydreaming and not paying attention to the road and their surroundings. Only about 14 percent of the fatal distracted driving accidents were attributed to using cellphones while driving.

Some car and software companies have been working on making driving safer by designing self-driving technologies for vehicles. However, the introduction of these technologies may make the problem worse before it gets safer. For example, Tesla’s Autopilot still requires drivers to pay attention and will alert drivers when it appears that their minds are wandering.

All car accidents can result in serious injuries or even fatalities, especially if the drivers were not paying attention when the crash occurred. If it can be proven that the accident was caused by a distracted driver, a personal injury attorney may work with an injured person to hold that driver responsible. The attorney may be able to gather the evidence that provides proof that the distracted driver was liable for the crash, such as the police report and witness statements. If the other party refuses to settle, the attorney may take the case to court in order to seek compensation for damages for the injured person.