Like most U.S. states, Wisconsin has a distracted driving law. Drivers are banned from anything that “interferes or reasonably appears to interfere” with their ability to drive safely. This includes texting or writing emails on the phone. Young drivers cannot use a phone at all.
While this is not the strongest anti-distracted driving statute in the country, it is intended to reduce serious auto accidents in Wisconsin. Nationwide, lawmakers have been aware of the distracted driver problem for several years now. So has the public. But has anything changed?
Survey is pessimistic about distracted driving
Not really, if a recent survey of motorists is to be believed. When researchers asked 1,000 drivers how distracted driving in their area compared with two years ago, 87 percent said it had gotten worse. Three-quarters of respondents said that distracted driving had grown at least 50 percent since 2018.
There are many forms of distracted driving. Here are the types that the surveyed people said bothered them the most:
- Texting and driving
- Using a navigation system
- Dealing with children in the back seat
- Talking on the phone
- Adjusting the radio or music system
However, 42 percent admitted to texting and driving, including 45 percent of men. Eleven percent said they text behind the wheel every day. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to criticize bad behavior in others that we accept from ourselves. It could be that many people think of themselves as the exception to the rule, when research has repeatedly proven that splitting focus while driving dramatically raises the risk of a serious auto accident.
How to find out more about Wisconsin car accident law
If you have been hurt by a distracted driver, you need trustworthy, honest legal advice. Contact a personal injury attorney for detailed information about how the law applies to your case, and what you could be entitled to in financial restitution.
