Texting and driving is one of the most dangerous things that anyone can do. It leads to accidents every year, and distracted driving as a whole has been recognized as a major cause of accidents. It may not cause as many as something like drunk driving, but it is not far behind, and it actually causes a lot of the same issues – such as slower reaction times – as drunk driving.
When most people think about texting and driving, though, they generally imagine a teenager. Maybe it’s a high school student or a college student on the way to class. They may believe that young people are addicted to their phones and that’s why they just keep texting, causing accidents every day. But is this an accurate portrayal, or is it just a stereotype?
All age groups text and drive
First and foremost, it’s important to note that texting and driving is not something that only a few age groups engage in. They all do. You can find examples of 16 year olds texting and driving after they just got their license, and you can find examples of 86-year-olds using their phone in the car.
Of course, it is more common in some age groups than others. What statistical reports have found is that those between 25 and 34 years old use their cellphones more than any other age group. They clock in at a full 23%. The next highest age group is actually those between 35 and 44 years old, who come in at 20%. So that full group ranging from 25 to 44 is responsible for nearly half of this roadway risk.
This is probably surprising to some people because these drivers are older than they assumed. And it is true that those from 15 to 20 will use their phone in the car (17%), and so will those from 21 to 24 (16%). But it’s unfair to blame this age group entirely because they do not do it the most, nor are they the only age group committing this infraction.
If you’ve been hit by a distracted driver and suffered significant injuries, you need to know how to seek financial compensation.