Louisianaians have a lot to be proud of, but their distracted driving habits are not one of them. A recent study puts Louisiana among the deadliest states in the U.S. for distracted driving deaths.
The study used 2021 car accident data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Researchers report that 173 fatal crashes caused by distracted driving happened in Louisiana that year. Only three states — New Mexico, Hawai’i and Kansas — had a higher percentage of their fatal wrecks caused by a distracted driver. By raw numbers, the state had the fifth-most number of fatal distracted driving accidents despite ranking just 25th in population.
Never an excuse to drive distracted
Distracted driving impairs the driver’s awareness of what is going on around them and reaction times. Even a brief glance at your phone or any other distraction can greatly raise the risk of causing a terrible car accident. Distracted driving is also entirely preventable. It is easy for a responsible motorist to keep their phone set down while driving, or to at least limit themselves to hands-free apps. But just as drunk drivers choose to get behind the wheel while impaired, distracted drivers make the negligent decision to split their focus.
Because of this, whenever a distracted driver causes a severe wreck in which somebody gets disabled or killed, they most likely can be held legally responsible for their victim’s damages. As the plaintiff, you can seek compensation for things like your hospital bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and lost enjoyment of life. Proving liability can be complicated, but a personal injury attorney can greatly increase your chances of success.