There has been an ongoing campaign to stop distracted driving, especially when that distracted driving involves the use of phones. For example, Kentucky has laws that prohibit most types of texting and driving, especially for this state’s youngest drivers.
However, there is at least some concern that these laws, as well as the many public awareness campaigns, are not having a meaningful impact.
One problem is that authorities rarely if ever use information from drivers’ phones after an accident to determine if a motorist was texting and driving. Authorities typically only go to the legal trouble of getting this information if they are seriously pursuing criminal charges.
Since motorists themselves have reasons not to admit to being on their cell phones, especially after a major motor vehicle accident, it is quite likely that accidents related to texting and driving are significantly underreported.
Mysteriously, both the number of reported accidents and the number of traffic fatalities has risen in recent years.
The answer might lie in several studies that suggest that anywhere between 20% and 50% of drivers on the road are regularly looking at their phones. They just usually do not admit this behavior to the police when there is an accident.
After an accident, it may take a thorough investigation to uncover the truth
After someone in the Covington area suffers a serious accident, they should recognize that the police report might not contain all the information about what caused the collision.
This is not necessarily the fault of the police at the scene. For example, drivers tend not to report their own texting and driving.
Someone injured in an accident may need to do their own thorough investigation about the cause so that they can get full compensation for their injuries. After all, motorists who choose to text and drive after knowing the consequences for doing so should be held accountable.