Some Ohio drivers may be among those who fell they can text and drive safely while also believing that doing so is a main cause of accidents. In August 2017, Progressive Insurance conducted an online survey in which over 90 percent of the roughly 1,000 respondents said that texting and driving should be illegal. Despite that, 34 percent reported that they were very or somewhat confident in their own ability to do so safely.
The results showed a significant difference in attitude based on age. Nearly two-thirds of 18-to-34-year-olds reported this level of confidence while only around 6 percent of drivers 55 and older had the same level of confidence. There were gender differences as well with 21 percent of men describing themselves as very confident compared to 11 percent of women.
More than 80 percent said police should be able to stop people who are texting and driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that in 2015, distracted drivers were involved in motor vehicle accidents that resulted in 391,000 injuries and 3,477 deaths. In the survey, people named other distractions that they found acceptable, including listening to music, using a map or making a call.
However, these and other actions, along with texting and driving, can lead to accidents and serious injuries. When a distracted driver is responsible for a motor vehicle accident, that driver is generally held financially liable for the costs of injuries and repairs. The driver’s insurance company is supposed to compensate the injured people, but this does not always go smoothly. Sometimes the driver is uninsured or underinsured. The insurance company may dispute who is at fault or may simply offer too little in compensation. At this point, an injured person’s attorney may attempt to negotiate more compensation or might file a civil lawsuit.