New Pennsylvania statistics show increase in distracted driving

Over the years, it is becoming more apparent that smartphones often make drivers do dumb things. While having a wealth of information, communication options, social media and games at your fingertips is often a good thing, for too many drivers on the road it is a danger. And things are getting worse.

According to the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts and PA Courts InfoShare, distracted driving citations between the years of 2014 and 2016 have increased by over 50 percent across the state. Police are trying to crack down on distracted drivers to prevent accidents, ramping up citations from nearly 2,200 in 2014 to nearly 3,100 in 2015 and over 3,300 in 2016. It should not come as a surprise that younger drivers are among the worst offenders, with over one-third of citations being issued to drivers in their 20’s.

A part of the issue is that catching distracted drivers is difficult. In a recent article, one officer admits that if there were a nearby overpass he could more easily identify those on their phones while driving. He said that if an accident does occur, they are able to subpoena the records from the cellphone to see if they were in use at the time of the crash.

This news is particularly distressing because it affects not only those who are guilty of negligent driving, but potentially anyone on or even near the roads. If you or a close family member has been involved in a serious automobile accident you may be entitled to compensation. It may be in your best interests to get more information about personal injury law to learn how to proceed.

Source: Republican Herald, “State data: Distracted driving increasing,” Vicki Terwilliger, May 22, 2017