Drivemode, the developer of an app that allows for hands-free phone use in the car, has new data on texting habits among drivers. It appears that drivers text most often during the afternoon rush hour, from approximately 3 pm to 7 pm. New Jersey motorists may or may not be surprised to learn that, of all 50 states and the District of Columbia, those in New York text the most in that time.
The results were culled from 6.5 million instances of texting among 177,000 drivers who used Drivemode’s Android app. The most messages were sent between 5 pm and 6 pm, and 22 percent of all messages were sent between 4 pm and 6 pm. After New Yorkers, who sent an average of 8.21 messages per hour, the worst offenders were in Hawaii (7.90 messages) and Florida (7.87).
The 177,000 drivers studied all used hands-free and/or voice-activated controls in order to send messages. Standard SMS, followed by Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, were the most common methods for texting. As for why the afternoon is the peak time for texting, Drivemode states that this is the time when drivers commuting home may want to inform their family about traffic accidents, errands and other issues that might delay them. In the morning, most drivers are occupied by listening to music or the news.
Though hands-free methods of communication are far less distracting than hands-on, they can still take one’s attention from the road. The fact is that even letting one’s mind wander can constitute distracted driving. When this leads to an accident, victims will want to prove that the other party was at fault and file a personal injury claim. This is where a lawyer could come in. After the case evaluation, the lawyer could have accident reconstructionists find all the proof before proceeding to negotiations or litigation.
