With Traffic Deaths on the Rise, Experts Blame Smartphone Apps

Dec 29,2016

Experts are citing smartphone apps for contributing to an increase in traffic deaths across the country. Last year, the New York Times reported that 2015 saw the largest percentage increase in traffic deaths in 50 years. This year, that statistics looks like it will be far worse.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported 17,775 highway deaths in the first six months of 2016. This is a 10.4% increase from the same time period in 2015.

What is to blame for this staggering increase in traffic deaths? With what seems like a new vehicle recall every week, it might be easy to assign blame on vehicle safety—but the reality is that only about 2% of accidents are due to an issue with the vehicle itself. More than 90% of the time, the driver is at least partly to blame for the crash.

What has changed in the past few years is the rise in smartphone apps. As of June 2016, there were more than 2 million apps available in Apple’s App Store. Certain apps, like Snapchat and Pokemon Go, have already been directly linked to traffic accidents. These apps lead to driver distraction, which is a factor in about 80% of vehicle crashes.

“We have the safest vehicles in history and yet we’re seeing more fatal crashes than we have in half a century. We need to collectively say ‘enough is enough’ when it comes to distracted driving,” said Attorney Walter Clark, founder of Walter Clark Legal Group.

Our firm has been handling personal injury cases throughout the California Low Desert and High Desert communities for over 30 years. With a 95% success rate, the California personal injury attorneys at Walter Clark Legal Group will fight to hold those responsible for your loss accountable and win compensation to cover medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you have been injured in an auto accident and want to discuss your legal options, contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer. We have offices in Indio, Rancho Mirage, Victorville, and Yucca Valley and represent clients through the entire California Low Desert and High Desert communities.

DISCLAIMER: The Walter Clark Legal Group blog is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal or medical advice. References to laws are based on general legal practices and vary by location. Information reported comes from secondary news sources. We do handle these types of cases, but whether or not the individuals and/or loved ones involved in these accidents choose to be represented by a law firm is a personal choice we respect. Should you find any of the information incorrect, we welcome you to contact us with corrections.