Fatal car accidents attributed to daydreaming
It might be a child chasing a toy into the street without looking for oncoming traffic, or another motorist making a lane change before checking a blind spot. Both of these situations call for a driver to make a sudden move to avoid an accident. Most drivers know that they need to be aware of their surrounding while behind the wheel. A near-miss might create a heightened sense of awareness, and make a person pay even closer attention to other vehicles.
When a driver loses concentration, it can have tragic results. A recent report by Erie Insurance, along with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, stated that daydreaming may be responsible for many of the fatal car accidents that are occurring on our nation’s roadways.
The agency examined the 65,000 deaths that happened in car accidents in the last two years, and estimated that one in ten of these crashes were caused because one of the drivers was distracted. Over 60 percent of those drivers were thought to be daydreaming, according to the police reports for those crashes. Cellphone-related distractions accounted for just over 10 percent of distracted drivers in the report.
The cause of the accidents was generally left to the officer’s discretion when filling out the reports. Many jurisdictions do not have forms that require the officer to ask if the driver was using a cellphone or texting while driving. This information may go unreported, unless the motorist voluntarily discloses it to the police. This could mean that the number of distracted drivers using cellphones is actually much higher than the report indicates.
Families that have experienced these tragedies may be eligible for compensation if the accident was caused by another driver. A wrongful death lawsuit will allow the family to recover for future lost wages, as well as repayment for expenses associated with any necessary medical treatment that was connected to the crash.
If you have lost a loved one in a fatal motor vehicle accident, speak to an experienced personal injury attorney about your potential claims. While this may be a difficult time for you and your family, it is important that you are completely informed about the decisions that you will need to make.
Insurance companies might contact you soon after the accident in the hopes that you will settle your case for less than it is worth. You may be experiencing problems making ends meet, but once you agree to an offer, it may be impossible to obtain any other compensation for your loss.