Subset of drivers most likely to drive dangerously

According to an estimate from the National Safety Council, there were more than 40,000 traffic deaths in 2017. Furthermore, 36 percent of all trips resulted in distracted driving on South Carolina roads and others throughout the country according to Cambridge Mobile Telematics. As a general rule, research shows that older drivers tend to focus on the road better than younger drivers. Those who drive for a living also tend to be safer than those who don’t.

From 1985 to 2015, the large truck fatal crash rate fell by 32 percent according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). In 75 percent of fatal crashes involving trucks and passenger vehicles, the passenger vehicle was faulted for causing them to occur. Data from SmartDrive Systems found that not all large truck drivers are safe drivers, however. The top 25 percent of offenders are 87 percent more likely to drive more than 10 miles per hour over the speed limit.

Those drivers were also more likely to roll through stop signs and red lights. The use of a smartphone while driving was considered a major risk to drivers. Those who drove while using such a device were more likely to exceed the speed limit or disregard a traffic light. Drivers could be fined $3,685 for committing these violations.

Individuals who cause a car accident because they were driving while distracted could face a variety of penalties, such as paying a fine or having a drivers license suspended. An attorney may be able to help a defendant obtain a favorable outcome in a case. This might be done by asserting that a mechanical failure caused the accident to occur. An attorney may also argue that another person ignoring a red light or stop sign played a role in the crash.