While people universally understand the risks of sleeping, drinking, or using drugs and driving, many are much less concerned about the consequences of texting or talking on the phone while behind the wheel. However, distracted driving is just as harmful as driving while tired or intoxicated.

Distracted Driving Statistics

For the first time since the mid-1960s, in 2016, the U.S. saw a consecutive year-over-year rise in driving fatalities, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Fatalities climbed by 8.4% in 2015, followed by another 5.6% increase in 2016. This troubling two-year spike brought the total number of driving-related deaths in 2016 to 37,461. According to preliminary estimates, 39,345 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2024.

Texting While Driving

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s 2023 Traffic Safety Culture Index revealed that approximately 93% of drivers consider both texting/emailing and reading on a handheld cell phone as very or extremely dangerous. However, a concerning number still engage in these behaviors: 27% of drivers reported sending a text/email while driving, and 37% admitted to reading a text/email behind the wheel in the past 30 days. Younger drivers (Gen Z and Millennials) are more likely to engage in texting while driving, with 55% admitting to it, compared to 33% of Boomers.

Talking on the Cell Phone

In 2023, more than 326,000 U.S. drivers were observed holding a cell phone to their ear while driving at any given daylight moment. The prevalence of drivers using hand-held cell phones has decreased over the last decade, from 4.3% in 2014 to 2.1% in 2023, based on the National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS). Although many believe hands-free phones are safer, research consistently shows that both handheld and hands-free phone use can cause significant cognitive distraction while driving.

Using Infotainment Systems While Driving

In 2017, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety tested the visual and cognitive demand required to use 30 new car models’ infotainment systems, with higher demand corresponding to increased distraction and poorer driving safety. Alarmingly, they found that 12 car systems were very high demand, 11 were high demand, and 7 were moderate demand. None of the cars’ infotainment systems had adequately low levels of distraction.

GPS Navigation Distractions

In that same study, AAA found that setting up GPS navigation took a startling 40 seconds of a driver’s time and attention. The previously cited Esurance study found that most people use a GPS navigation system while driving, whether they are a self-identified distracted driver (96 percent) or a rarely distracted driver (77 percent).

Most Common Types of Car Accidents

Driving is one of the more dangerous activities people participate in daily. While car technology and traffic laws are constantly evolving to make driving as safe as possible, serious accidents are still an everyday occurrence on the nation’s roads.

Rear-End Collision

A rear-end collision happens when a driver hits a vehicle in front of them. Rear-end collisions can happen at all speeds, but the crashes typically occur at low speeds, especially in stop-and-go traffic. Many of them are the result of distracted or dangerous driving, such as texting behind the wheel, tailgating, or failing to pay attention to sudden stops. If you were rear-ended at a low speed, you may still suffer injuries, like whiplash or a concussion.

Head-On Collision

This type of accident occurs when two vehicles driving in opposite directions collide with each other. If you crash into an object, such as a tree or traffic barrier, the accident could also be considered a head-on collision. Although rare, head-on collisions are serious accidents that often result in life-threatening injuries. They are frequently caused by dangerous or distracted driving behaviors, such as drifting into oncoming traffic while texting, driving under the influence, or making reckless passing maneuvers.

Hit-and-Run Accidents

In a hit-and-run accident, the driver at fault for the collision leaves the accident scene without rendering help or exchanging contact information. These incidents are often the result of reckless or distracted driving, such as speeding, impaired driving, or failing to check blind spots. Examples of hit-and-run accidents include crashing into another car and driving off, or sideswiping a car and continuing to drive.

A hit-and-run accident can lead to criminal charges, with hefty fines and even jail time. People who flee the scene of an accident may also be forced to pay higher insurance rates in the future.

T-Bone Collisions

A T-bone accident happens when a vehicle hits the side of another vehicle, resulting in an accident that resembles the letter “T.” These collisions typically occur at intersections and are often caused by dangerous or distracted driving, such as running a red light, ignoring a stop sign, or failing to yield the right of way.

Rollover Accidents

A rollover occurs when a motor vehicle tips on its side or rolls over on its roof. Rollovers are one of the most dangerous vehicle accidents as they often lead to the ejection of the driver and passengers, which may result in fatal injuries.

Rollovers usually happen as a result of severe weather or being struck by another vehicle at a high speed, and can also be caused by reckless or distracted driving that leads to sudden swerving or loss of control.

Sideswipe Accidents

When the side of one vehicle strikes the side of another vehicle travelling in the same direction, the collision is commonly referred to as a sideswipe. Sideswipes are typically a result of inattentive drivers attempting to switch lanes or swerving outside of a lane due to external distractions, like texting, eating, or talking to other passengers.

Because the sides of a vehicle don’t have the same protection as its front or rear-end, a sideswipe makes vehicle occupants especially vulnerable to serious injuries. They may also result in the struck vehicle being pushed into other cars or off the road.

Multi-Vehicle Collisions

As the name implies, a multi-vehicle collision involves two or more vehicles. For example, if a driver slams on their brakes, the car behind them may rear-end them. That driver may then be rear-ended by the vehicle behind them, resulting in a pile-up. Determining fault in a multiple-vehicle collision may be tricky. More than one person may be partially responsible.

Single-Vehicle Accidents

A single vehicle accident involves only one car, truck, or motorcycle and occurs when said vehicle crashes into a stationary object, like a tree or a streetlight. Drivers are often at fault for single-vehicle accidents, but not always. For instance, if you crash into a free while attempting to dodge a reckless driver who swerved into your lane, you might not be considered at fault. Distracted driving, speeding, driving under the influence, weather-related conditions like rain or snow, and mechanical failure are the most common causes of single-vehicle crashes.

Back-Up Accidents

Back-up accidents happen when a driver reverses their vehicle and strikes a person, object, or another vehicle. These accidents typically happen in busy parking lots or when backing out of a driveway.

Usually, the driver who’s backing up is at fault; however, this may not always be the case. For instance, if a pedestrian isn’t paying attention and walks right into a vehicle that’s backing up, they may share fault for the accident.

The High Stakes of Distracted Driving in Semi-Truck Collisions

If you have ever been in or seen a crash involving a semi-truck, you know the outcome can be drastically different than accidents involving smaller vehicles. If you are rear-ended by a sedan, SUV, or pickup truck, your car may only sustain minor damage. However, if you are hit from behind by a tractor-trailer, the sheer size difference means you are more likely to sustain severe injuries.

Some of the semi-truck accident liability laws are designed to make it easier for truck accident victims to receive the compensation they deserve should a negligent truck driver fail to maintain compliance with relevant rules and regulations.

Insurance Requirements

Semi-truck drivers must carry much higher insurance coverage than regular drivers because their vehicle is much larger and they spend more time on the roads than most drivers. For example, Florida law requires them to carry $50,000 to $750,000 in insurance, depending on the vehicle’s weight, although many trucking companies carry much more than the minimum to avoid being sued.

These higher insurance requirements also reflect the increased risk associated with operating such large vehicles, especially in cases involving distracted or dangerous driving. When a truck driver fails to remain attentive or engages in reckless behavior, the potential for catastrophic damage rises significantly, underscoring the need for robust coverage to protect victims.

Understanding Claim Denials

If you live in a no-fault insurance state, it means your own insurance company pays for injuries if you’re involved in an accident, even if the other driver was at fault. However, if your damages exceed your personal injury protection (PIP) limits, you can file a claim against the other driver’s insurance for the difference.

Every claim payment is essentially money lost for auto insurance companies. That’s why insurance companies in every state are always on the lookout for ways to deny claims.

You Were at Fault

Maybe the easiest and most common way insurance companies deny insurance claims is simply arguing that you were at fault. The person who is at fault for the accident is technically liable for damages beyond each driver’s own PIP policy limits. Insurance companies will frequently either say you were at fault, not their client, or argue that you both share blame. If you were 50 percent at fault, then they should only have to pay half of your damages.

Failing to Seek Medical Treatment

Being examined by a reputable physician after an accident is important because they can provide proof and documentation of your auto accident injuries. If you file a claim months after an accident, saying you had $20,000 of medical costs, but you don’t have diagnostic tests to prove those accident injuries were real and that you received treatment for them, your claim might be denied.

Disputes Over Injury Causes

Preexisting conditions can make personal injury claims complicated. Insurance companies don’t want to pay for injuries that aren’t covered, or those that their policyholder didn’t cause. If you had a pre-existing repetitive stress injury from work, and then you get into a car crash, you can’t then get the treatment for the repetitive stress injury paid for on the car crash claim. Insurance companies don’t often give people the benefit of the doubt. They will investigate injury claims to see if the injuries you allege were from an auto accident were actually from something else.

Policy Limits

In most cases, insurance companies will only pay up to the policy limit on any driver’s personal injury or liability policy. Minimum personal injury protection (PIP) coverage only pays for your own injuries. You can collect damages beyond your PIP limit if you have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. If the other driver has bodily injury liability coverage, you can file a claim against it, but even then, the amount you can collect will likely be dictated by the policy limit.

Delays in Filing a Claim

The longer you wait to file a claim, the harder it will be to get it approved. This is similar to disputes over the source of injuries or seeing a doctor – if you were injured and needed money to cover your costs, why are you filing months or even years later? Delays call into question the validity of your claim and the source of your injuries. If you’re injured in a car crash, you should immediately see a doctor and consider speaking with a car crash lawyer as soon as possible.

Bad Faith Denials

Not every claim denial rises to the level of bad faith, but in some cases, it might. Insurance companies have a legal duty to honor their contracts, which includes paying legitimate claims. It’s possible for claims adjusters and insurance companies to make mistakes, but if they knowingly attempt to get out of paying for your injuries by unfairly denying your claim, they may be acting in bad faith. If you believe your claim is being improperly denied, it may be in your best interest to speak with a personal injury attorney.

Your Legal Rights After a Distracted Driving Accident

Distracted driving is far more than a bad habit — it’s a dangerous and often deadly decision that continues to claim lives on roads all across the country. From rear-end collisions to catastrophic semi-truck crashes, the consequences of inattention behind the wheel are devastating and far-reaching. If you or a loved one has been injured due to a distracted or negligent driver, don’t face the legal and insurance challenges alone.

At Kanner & Pintaluga, our experienced car accident attorneys are committed to helping you pursue the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation and let us protect your rights while you focus on your recovery. Your road to justice starts with one call.