WHY IS TEXTING AND DRIVING SO DANGEROUS?

If somebody offered you a thousand dollars, would you drive across a crowded football field with your eyes closed? Probably not. Most people would be aghast at the idea of something like this. Yet this is exactly what we do when we text on our cell phones and drive. If you take your eyes off the road and hands off the wheel for just a few seconds, it’s like driving the length of a football field with a blindfold on. The odds of something going wrong while you’re responding to a text are just too high. There is really no justification for this kind of behavior. You need to focus on the task of driving. Sadly, more than 50 percent of drivers admit to texting and driving at least once a week. This is not limited to teen drivers who ignore their parents. While teen drivers may text more than other drivers, we are all guilty. Car accident lawyers talk to clients all the time who end up in the hospital because another driver decided to text and drive. If this happens to you, then you should call and talk to a distracted driving crash lawyer sooner rather than later.

Your attorney understands just how dangerous this sort of behavior really is. More than 14% of all fatal motor vehicle accidents are caused by texting and driving. This includes men, women, and children. There’s no reason why an innocent motorist or passenger should be subjected to this kind of reckless behavior. Law enforcement offices are constantly reminding people of the dangers of texting and driving. Legislators all over the country are making the penalties for texting and driving more serious all the time. They’re even placing limits on the use of hands-free devices. It just doesn’t seem to matter. Some drivers are bound and determined to do whatever they want no matter what the law says. If they want to use their phone to send an instant message, then who can stop them? These are the people who end up crashing into your car and sending you and your family to the hospital. They need to be held accountable. The best way to make sure that happens is to have a car accident lawyer file a claim on your behalf.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF DISTRACTIONS?

Texting and driving is not the only type of distraction. It is the one that most often comes to mind when we think about distracted driving. That’s because there is a lot of media attention paid to texting and driving. There are campaigns all the time to end texting and driving. Cities and town councils put up digital signs reminding people of how dangerous this is. Yet it’s not hard to find someone driving with one hand while their other hand is sending a text on their phone. Essentially, all a person has to do is keep an eye out for a cop car. If they don’t see one, they figure they’re in the clear. What they don’t think about is the innocent motorist who will be seriously injured because of their negligence.

Texting and driving are certainly dangerous. However, there are other distractions that are actually more common than texting and driving. Some of these include:

• Daydreaming – Believe it or not, one of the most common types of distractions is daydreaming. People get caught up in their thoughts. Maybe they have a big project due at work. Or they’re trying to make sure their house is ready to host the in-laws for a couple of weeks. When a driver’s mind is on this sort of thing, it’s not on the road.
• Looking at other motorists – A lot of drivers’ eyes wander to other vehicles and other motorists. It sounds cliché, but a lot of drivers get caught up looking at attractive motorists. Some drivers get distracted by pretty cars instead. It doesn’t take much to peel our eyes away from the road.
• Talking to passengers – Unless you’re in the car by yourself, you spend a good bit of your drive talking to other passengers. You may be trying to keep your kids quiet in the backseat. Or you might be having a tiff with your significant other in the passenger seat. This kind of stuff takes your mind off the road. This is dangerous.

Car accident lawyers are all too aware of these distractions. They spend a good deal of their time fighting to get texting and driving accident victims compensation for their injuries. They understand the statistics and will push for the safety of all drivers.

TYPICAL INJURIES SUSTAINED IN A DISTRACTED DRIVING ACCIDENT

Texting and driving accidents are like any other type of motor vehicle accident. They can be quite serious. If a car is traveling at 65 miles per hour on the highway and crashes into another vehicle, the impact will be tremendous. On the other hand, if someone is stopped at a red light and gets caught up reading a text, they may end up getting hit from behind. Either way, you could end up with serious injuries. Some of these include:

• Back and neck injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries .
• Facial disfigurement
• Broken bones and bruises
• Internal bleeding
• Organ damage
• Partial or total paralysis

Any of these injuries can cause both short-term and long-term problems. Your car accident lawyer is going to work hard to make sure the defendant is held responsible for your injuries. The only way they can do that is by pursuing the responsible party and proving that they caused your crash.

CALL AND TALK TO AN EXPERIENCED CAR ACCIDENT LAWYER

If you or your loved one injured in any sort of motor vehicle accident, you need help. The last thing you’ll want to do after your car wreck is deal with the insurance companies. You could be sitting around waiting for hours or days for them to return your phone calls or emails. Rather than put up with this, you should focus on getting better. Your car accident lawyer can worry about the legal side of things.

Getting hit by a distracted driver can be infuriating. What you must remember is that we all drive while we’re distracted. Most of us are just a lot luckier than we should be. Drivers are just humans after all. They make mistakes. If their mistake lands you in the hospital, then you should call and talk to a seasoned car accident lawyer right away. All you need to do is schedule your free, initial consultation and you can get the process started.

When you meet with your attorney, there are a few things you bring with you. This way, you can make the most of your time. Some of this information includes:

• Copies of the police report
• A copy of your medical records if they’re available
• Pictures of your car after the crash
• A copy of your mechanic’s bill
• Copies of all correspondence you’ve received from the defendant, their attorney, or their insurance company

What you should do is make sure your lawyer has this documentation prior to your consultation. This way, they can review it ahead of time. This will allow you to spend the whole meeting discussing your case, your options, and any obstacles you may encounter. This meeting will help determine whether your car accident lawyer decides to represent you. It will also determine whether you want to hire a lawyer. With so much at stake, you want to make sure you’re prepared.

Since the consultation is free, you have nothing to lose. Call and set up a date and time that works for you.