Are Rideshare Drivers Watching The Road?

According to a recent report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), rideshare drivers and other gig-economy workers are four times as likely as other drivers to use smartphone apps regularly while driving. This data is from a survey conducted by the IIHS last year. Rideshare drivers and other gig workers typically have to interact with apps on their phones to pick up jobs. That doesn’t mean they should use those apps while they’re driving though.  

Additional interesting data to come out of the survey is that parents are nearly 50 percent more likely to routinely make video calls, check weather reports or engage in other types of smartphone distractions than drivers without children under the age of 18. 

Device Based Distractions Include Playing Games  

Some of the most common forms of device-based distractions reported in the survey included making phone calls, streaming music and reading texts. Above all, the most common was programming a navigation app. Additionally, about eight percent of people said they played games on their phone regularly while they drive. Finally, the survey also found that drivers between the ages of 18 and 34 were more likely to use smartphone apps behind the wheel than drivers ages 35 to 49.  

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 3,000 people died in crashes involving distracted drivers in 2020. That accounted for 8 percent of all traffic deaths. Safety experts also think this number may be underreported, since determining if somebody was distracted at the time of a crash can be difficult.  

Other Types of Distractions Behind The Wheel  

The IIHS is quick to point out that using a smartphone isn’t the only type of distraction behind the wheel. In fact, any task that takes your eyes, hands or mind off of the road is considered a distraction. Eating food, putting on makeup or even changing the radio station can all be distractions behind the wheel.  

If you have been injured or if you have lost a loved one in a crash involving an Uber driver or other rideshare driver in San Diego or anywhere in Southern California, contact the skilled and proven team at Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, Inc. at 1.800.GO.HARRIS for a free case consultation today.