It’s no secret that we lead lives of many distractions in 2017. On our morning commutes, we’re listening to the latest podcasts. During our lunch breaks, we’re checking our social media feeds and texting friends. While walking down the street or waiting for a ride home, we’re taking pictures of cool things and sharing them. Having technology right at our fingertips 100% of the time opens an endless number of opportunistic doors, but it also comes with a price. Technology distracts us.

Knowing this, it should come as no surprise that distracted driving is quickly catapulting to one of the top causes of car crashes in the U.S. According to the NHTSA, 3,477 people died in car crashes that resulted from drivers who were distracted in 2015. Over 319,000 more were injured during that same year.

We have all heard the message about distracted driving multiple times on TV commercials, radio commercials, newspapers, and anywhere you can find an advertisement. From a police officer giving a ticket to Jordan Spieth putting his phone in a glove box, the message comes in different forms.

But for a lot of people the question remains, is distracted driving really that dangerous? It just doesn’t seem like a big deal to send a quick text while you’re driving. Is it dangerous, or is it something else the government is exaggerating?

Here are some statistics to help you make your decision:

1. The use of a cell phone while driving leads to 1.6 million car crashes a year.
2. 1 out of every 4 car accidents are caused by texting and driving.
3. 11 teenagers a day are killed because of texting and driving.
4. If you use a cellphone, you spend 4 times as much time with your eyes off the road while driving.

The time immediately after a car wreck is a trying time. You will most likely enter into a state of shock, trying to figure out what has happened. The moments directly after an accident can set the tone for the entire process of filing your insurance claim and getting the money you need to move forward with your life. It is important to choose your words carefully, and not say anything than can hurt your claim in the future. Here are some tips for knowing what to say after a car wreck:

Do Not Apologize

Many people’s first reaction after a car wreck is to apologize to the other party that was involved in the accident, regardless of whose fault it was. People generally consider this a common courtesy to apologize, especially if the other driver is injured. This, however, will often be viewed as an admission of fault, and all the liability for the accident could be placed onto you. So even if you do believe you are the party that caused the wreck, do not apologize for the wreck.

We’ve all gotten behind the wheel while tired after a long work day, but have you ever stopped to wonder about the implications of driving while drowsy? Driving while drowsy is inherently dangerous due to the fact that while drowsy, our reaction speeds and sense of judgement are both significantly impaired. If a car in front of our vehicle suddenly stops or swerves, if we’re drowsy, our reaction to that stop or swerve may come a second later than if we were fully alert.

When it comes to an accident, even a mere second or two can make the difference between avoiding the crash and slamming into another car. But how dangerous is dangerous? How often do car crashes really occur that involve drowsy drivers? Is driving drowsy as bad as drunk driving or driving under the influence of drugs? Let’s examine the facts.

If you’ve been involved in a serious car accident in the state of Kentucky and are struggling to receive compensation from an employer to pay for your medical bills, you may find yourself frustrated. Kentucky’s laws which govern what an employer is liable to pay in such circumstances can be complex. Furthermore, if you’re in the process of filing a personal injury claim against the driver who caused the accident or an insurance agency that has treated you unfairly, the way in which you receive that compensation can be additionally complicated.

You should be aware that often, if your medical bills were paid by the health insurance of an employer’s health plan, the health insurance company or plan may want you to reimburse it out of any personal injury recovery. Your “insurance” turns out to be not insurance at all, but a “loan”– also known as a lien. The laws in some states, including Kentucky, generally prohibit such claims by insurance companies, but many companies continue to make these claims anyway.