DISTRACTED DRIVING: HAVE YOU BEEN INJURED WHILE SOMEONE WAS TEXTING AND DRIVING?
Among the 5.5 million car accidents annually within the U.S., 3 million of those collisions cause injuries with 40,000 being fatal. Ever since cell phones became popular, driving has become a gamble. People need to be able to drive every day in order to fully live their lives but cell phones, as well as other types of distractions, have made it difficult to drive safely. All it takes is a second of inattention. When a driver takes their eyes off of the road to look at an electronic device while operating a vehicle, accidents happen.
Within that second you could be the one that’s been hurt in a car accident that has changed your life forever. Distracted driving takes and ruins lives. A driver error could cause expensive repairs to your car, medical bills that never end, mental and physical health complications, and an end to a career. Speak with a personal injury lawyer that can help you regain some semblance of life after sustaining an injury from a motorist driving while texting or being distracted by another type of distraction.
WHAT EXACTLY IS DISTRACTED DRIVING?
There are many forms of driving that are classified as distracted driving. The most common form is texting while operating a vehicle. Per the NHTSA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drivers that text is the highest percentage of drivers engaged in fatal distracted driving crashes. Motorists are 23 times more likely to become involved in accidents if they text while driving. Using any type of electronic device while driving can be extremely dangerous. The types of distraction they cause include 3 types, the manual act of taking your hands from the steering wheel, the visual act of removing your eyes from traffic or the road, and the cognitive act of taking your mind off of the present activity of driving. There are other types of behavior that distract people while driving too.
Some people become extremely distracted while talking on a cell phone, taking videos or photos, using a smartphone for directions, checking appointments or emails, social media use, surfing the internet, playing handheld games, holding a Facetime conversation, or using a speakerphone to dial, check, or send messages. Motorists can also distract themselves with activities such as grooming, eating, tending to pets or children, searching for items in the vehicle, or attempting to adjust in-vehicle technology. No matter what the action may be if a driver is not paying attention to the road, traffic conditions, or road hazards they are not operating their vehicle safely. The ability for a car accident to happen is drastically increased and risks the motorist and anyone in their path.
THE IMPACT OF DISTRACTED DRIVING
In 2017, nearly 2,994 crashes that were fatal were caused by distracted driving. That’s just the fatal accidents. There have also been countless injuries that have impacted victims as well as their families and friends. An increase in public awareness campaigns doesn’t seem to have helped. The use of electronic devices while operating a vehicle still contributes to vehicle accidents as well as other related injuries.
NOPUS, the National Occupant Protection Use Survey, has provided nationwide data specifically focused on the use of driver electronic devices used within the U.S. Per a report they provided in 2019, there hasn’t been a significant decrease observed of drivers’ visible use of handheld electronic devices. What does this mean for other drivers, pedestrians, and the public? Distracted driving is still a problem.
HIRE AN ATTORNEY FOR YOUR DISTRACTED DRIVING CASE
Whether you or a loved one were injured in an accident involving a driver that was distracted, you may be entitled to compensation for lost wages, medical bills, disability, as well as pain and suffering. This type of personal injury case requires the assistance of experienced legal counsel so you get the compensation you deserve, not just a fast cash settlement that an insurance company is going to try to give that doesn’t address your true needs.