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The role of addiction in car accidents

On Behalf of | Jul 28, 2021 | Motor Vehicle Accidents

When you think of addiction causing car accidents, your first thought is probably that drivers who are addicted to alcohol may be more likely to drive under the influence. This puts everyone at risk. You can personally drive perfectly and still get hit by a drunk driver who just could not keep from drinking long enough to drive safely.

It’s true that this is a major problem in the United States, and addiction itself is largely why we can’t eliminate drunk driving. Making laws against it may stop some casual drivers, but it doesn’t overcome an addiction. Only actual assistance from medical professionals can do so.

But it’s not just alcohol. Addiction can manifest itself in many different ways.

You can be addicted to your phone

For instance, medical professionals have identified phone addiction as a real issue that a lot of people face. It’s hard to ignore the phone when you’re so used to checking it constantly and your brain wants that dopamine rush. Like drunk driving, it has proven very hard to combat distracted driving because simply making something illegal doesn’t mean that drivers aren’t addicted. They’ll do whatever they can to keep using their phones in the car.

The opioid epidemic continues

Opioids are addictive drugs that can, in some cases, be used as legal prescription painkillers. However, addiction is so widespread that it has become an epidemic. Millions of people struggle with it. More than 70,000 died in 2019 alone. Many people who are addicted may use these drugs and then drive. As the epidemic continues, it just gives you one more thing that you have to think about as you drive. How sober are all of those drivers that you share the road with?

What to do after an accident

If you do get into a crash, you need to document everything you can and seek proper assistance in sorting the situation out. This starts with calling the police and emergency services, of course, but you also do need to look into your rights to compensation if another driver caused that crash.