With mobile phones and other technological gadgets gaining in popularity, it is rare that most of us leave the house without these devices. Yet, whilst these gadgets offer a great range of benefits and increased convenience there are fears they are making us more accident prone – but how?
Hazardous distractions
According to The Daily Mail, drivers who use their mobile phones whilst in the car are four times more likely to have an accident. Whilst manually operating your phone whilst in control of the vehicle is illegal in the UK, hands-free kits are deemed just as dangerous when in use.
The devices act as a hazardous distraction, diverting the driver’s attention away from the road. Whilst the above statistics are based on accident figures from Australia, UK drivers are still putting themselves at risk as one third of motorists confess to be involved in an accident or narrowly avoiding one after being distracted by items such as mobile phones.
Twenty per cent of drivers also admitted that the floated the ban against using a hand-held mobile whilst driving by answering their phone without the use of a hands-free kit. Texting whilst driving has also been labelled as a common source of accidents whilst the desire to update social networks on the move has seen some manufacturers create innovative devices which do this automatically in order to stop drivers taking unnecessary risks when behind the wheel.
Whilst all of the above dangers are associated with road accidents, this is unfortunately not the only danger which technology seems to pose to its users. Texting whilst walking poses a huge risk for pedestrians and drivers alike. In a rare case, a recent report saw one gentleman almost walk into the path of a stray black bear in California when distracted by texting – emphasising the high volume of threats which mobile phones and other devices can have.
Protecting against accidents
Naturally, the easiest way to protect against these types of accident is to make sure you only use these devices when it is safe to do so. Operating a hand-held phone whilst driving is not only illegal but is a reckless endangerment of life. Similarly, failing to pay attention to your environment when walking down the road could see you stray into dangerous situations, putting yourself and others at unnecessary harm.
Of course, in the event that an accident does occur it is important that you ascertain the cause and take the necessary measures to protect yourself from further harm – whether financial or emotional. If you are involved in an accident because somebody else was distracted or failed to act appropriately then you could be entitled to a no win no fee claim. These are claims handled by trained professionals who fight for the compensation you deserve and do not charge for their services if your case is unsuccessful.
Here at Injury Lawyers 4 U we offer this service and can advise you on the best course of action following an accident. Any accident, regardless of the cause, is traumatic for those involved and this is why it is vital that you take the necessary action to protect yourself.