December 6, 2017 | seo Who is most likely to be involved in a distracted driving accident in Tulsa, Oklahoma? The answer might not be the most likely one. Many Oklahoma residents assume that teen drivers are at greatest risk for an accident due to regular use of smartphones for talking and texting. While teens can be at great risk for a distracted driving crash in Tulsa, a recent study reported in National Public Radio suggests that drivers who are on the road most often—what the study calls “frequent drivers”—actually may be more likely to engage in distracted behaviors behind the wheel. Driving Habits and Distracted Driving Accident Risks The NPR article cites a recent study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, which discussed patterns in distracted driving incidents. Are some people actually more distraction-prone than others? According to the study, the answer is yes. In particular, people who are “frequent drivers,” or who are on the road more often than others, tend to be more likely to text while driving, to talk on a handheld device, or to adjust music on a radio or mp3 player. In addition to frequent drivers, the study also noted that “those with neurotic and extroverted personalities” are more distraction-prone than other drivers. And men are more likely to be involved in distracted driving incidents than are women. Is there a way to convince these drivers to change their habits? The study considered “potential interventions,” which included “giving drivers a quiz of sorts, asking them ‘If/Then’ questions designed to make them think about distracted driving.” The following is an example of one of the questions: “If I find myself wondering whether someone has sent me a text, then I will ________.” Unfortunately, asking drivers to consider their distracted driving habits on an intellectual level did not change the way they planned to behave behind the wheel. Oklahoma Law on Texting While Driving What is the law in Oklahoma regarding texting while driving? As of November 1, 2015, Oklahoma has had a ban on texting while driving. As such, any drivers in the Tulsa area should know that they can be issued a $100 fine for texting while driving in addition to being held liable in the event of a distracted driving accident. While the study discussed above is preliminary, it does suggest that distracted driving is often intentional. In other words, many distracted drivers recognize the risks and acknowledge that what their behavior (such as texting or talking on a phone) is distracting, but they do it anyway. Do you have questions about filing a car accident claim? An Oklahoma auto accident lawyer can help. Contact Lobaugh Law to discuss your case.