Uber and Lyft continue to grow year-over-year and as time goes on, more safety concerns begin to arise. Recent changes to Uber’s screening process for hiring new drivers are definitely aimed in the right direction. However, the biggest problem these ridesharing services face is that distracted driving is a necessary part of the job.
Louisiana Is the Most Distracted State
Ridesharing services have changed the way people commute across the globe. People can now use their cellphones to call for a driver to take them wherever they want. On the flip side, these ridesharing drivers have the ability to mount (or hold) their phone while driving around town, until they receive a notification of a new ride request.
After receiving this notification, they must accept the ride and they will receive the pick-up coordinates. After entering the information, they will be on their way to pick-up the rider. After more cellphone usage, the rider is now in the car, and yet again, the GPS is updated with yet another location— the rider’s destination. You may be noticing something a bit unsettling here.
All of these tasks require the driver to take their attention away from the road and onto their cellphone, which is something that is commonly known as distracted driving.
Distracted driving is something that often has its dangers overlooked. People believe they can multitask while driving, but studies prove the human brain cannot do 2 complex tasks at once. Instead, your brain switches between whichever tasks you are working on, leaving downtime that can lead to accidents.
In Louisiana, a study done in 2017 shows that 43% (compared to the national average of 38%) of accidents were linked to cellphone usage. When you take this into account, along with the increasing number of ridesharing services we are now seeing, you’re looking at grounds for disaster.
What Can Be Done?
While there may be no plan (as of now) for these services to come up with a method to take these distractions away from their drivers, there are things that can be done to protect your rights if you’ve been involved in an accident because of this.
For over 50 years, our team here at Chopin Law Firm has been helping injured victims seek the compensation they are rightfully owed. We don’t take lightly to negligence that causes others harm, and distracted driving is something that is completely preventable.
If you’ve been injured in a ridesharing accident call (504) 475-2429 today to learn more about how Chopin Law Firm can help you regain your life. We also offer free case evaluations to ensure those who have been wrongly injured have the opportunity to receive the compensation they deserve.
