Senior Partner
Car accidents caused by distracted drivers are a huge problem nationwide, including here on Long Island. In fact, nearby New York City might have the most distracted drivers in the country, if a recent survey by auto insurance comparison site The Zebra is to be believed.
The company interviewed 2,605 American drivers online, including at least 100 people from each of 25 major American cities. The respondents answered questions about how often they committed certain distracted driving acts from a scale of 0 (never) to 10 (always). The Zebra then aggregated each city’s scores, giving them a maximum possible value of 100.
New York came in first place with an aggregate score of 43.7. Washington, D.C., was the only other city with a score above 40.
Distractions besides phones
We all know that smartphones have driven the distracted driving issue for the past several years. A total of 58 percent of those surveyed admitted that they had read something on their phones while driving, and 56 percent said they have texted and driven before. But other bad habits were also common, such as drivers who said they pick their nose (47.2 percent), eat a full meal (35.9 percent), kiss somebody else (27 percent), or change their clothes while behind the wheel (26.8 percent).
This survey relied on self-reporting, which could mean that many of the subjects minimized the extent of their distracted driving habits. But the picture is clear: virtually every time you are driving in or around New York City, you will be next to a distracted driver for at least a few seconds — more than enough time for that bad driver to hit you and give you serious injuries.
What to do after a distracted driver injured you or your child
Whenever you are hurt in an auto accident that was somebody else’s fault, you have the right to pursue financial compensation. The help of a personal injury attorney with substantial trial experience can greatly improve your chances of full financial recovery.
