Drivers can be distracted by any number of things, and that apparently includes memes. This was one of the findings of an online study run by the market research firm Wakefield Research and involving about 2,000 drivers from Minnesota and across the U.S. However, it is far from the only important finding.
First of all, 99% of respondents ranked phones among the top three distractions for a driver. Nearly half of respondents said that distracted driving was their top concern whenever they are on the road. Yet they also conceded that they use their phones behind the wheel with the average time coming to 13 minutes each day.
The most frequently reported distractions that shifted drivers’ attention to their phones were group chats at 52% and social media, including memes and newsfeeds, at 33%. This was followed by video streaming, which claimed about 18% of drivers’ attention.
Nearly two in five drivers, when asked what they would do if they saw police around, said they would not put down their phones. At the same time, respondents criticized others who drive distracted. Of those surveyed, 89% said they would give a bad rating to an Uber or Lyft driver who texts, and 39% said they had done so before.
Simply knowing something is wrong is no guarantee of avoiding it. For those who are injured at the hands of a distracted driver, there is the possibility of being compensated under personal injury law. Anyone deemed 50% or less at fault can be eligible for damages, but negotiating for the settlement and litigating if one cannot be achieved is another matter. It might require legal representation, so victims may wish to schedule a case evaluation. Minnesota has a two-year statute of limitations on personal injury cases.
