When driving, it is important to pay close attention to the road, the vehicles around you, and any factors that may affect the safety of you, your passengers, and other drivers. Unfortunately, drivers are subjected to a wide variety of distractions, and even a momentary lapse in attention can have deadly results. If you have been injured in a car accident that was caused by a distracted driver, you should be sure to understand how to take steps to recover compensation for your damages.

The Dangers of Distracted Driving

While many people believe they can effectively multi-task and divide their attention between two or more activities, attempting to do so while driving is incredibly dangerous. A driver who takes their attention off the road for even a few seconds is highly likely to fail to notice critical information and react in time to prevent an accident. Every year, distracted driving leads more than 3,000 deaths and 400,000 injuries in car accidents across the United States.

Ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft are a foundational part of the modern “gig economy,” and these companies spend a lot of money promoting themselves as safe and cost-effective methods of transportation. But while Uber and Lyft often claim that they increase safety on the road, their actual practices seem to show otherwise, and their drivers often put people at risk of being injured in car accidents.

Uber, Lyft, and Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is one of the greatest dangers on the road today, and many car accidents are caused by drivers falling prey to the temptation to take their attention off the road and look at their smartphones. The possibility of distraction is especially strong for Uber and Lyft drivers, who are not just tempted to pay attention to their phone while driving but are actually required to do so, whether they are following GPS directions, looking at messages, or otherwise interacting with the Uber or Lyft apps.