You may be one of those in Florida who enjoys shopping from home more than going out into the crowds, especially during the holiday season. Shopping online is easy and convenient. You may pull out your phone or tablet and take care of a few gifts on your list on your lunch break or while your child is in dance class.
Unfortunately, some are taking the convenience of online shopping too far. In fact, you may be shocked to learn that the person driving the vehicle behind you may also be shopping online.
Online shopping takes a scary turn
A recent survey revealed that nearly 40% of Americans admit to shopping while they drive, and the numbers go up during the holiday season. You may think that drivers have gotten the message that distractions behind the wheel can be deadly, especially since almost 20,000 people died in distracted driving accidents in the past five years. Apparently, the lure of a good sale is too enticing for some drivers to resist. Some of the activities survey respondents admitted to doing while driving include:
- Browsing through a website’s products
- Checking on the status of an item they had ordered
- Searching to see if an online item they wanted was also available in the local store
- Looking for sales, coupons or deals
- Taking a purchase all the way through the checkout process
If you have ever shopped online, you know that checking out involves inputting your mailing address, verifying that your order is correct and typing in your credit card information. Doing these things behind the wheel means having your eyes on your phone, and not on the road, for an extended time.
Who is doing this?
The survey did not indicate if women or men are more likely to shop online while driving, but those who most frequently shop behind the wheel seem to fall between the ages of 18 and 54. Some analysts suggest those who cannot resist the urge to shop while driving may already be low on self-control, such as being fatigued from work.
It may seem outrageous to you that another driver was willing to put the lives of you and your family in jeopardy to make a purchase online. If such a driver caused an accident that resulted in injuries to you or a loved one, you have a right to seek legal advice on your options for pursuing justice in civil courts.