Distracted Driving Car Accident Lawyer
Beaumont Car Crash Injury Attorney for Victims of Distracted Driving Wrecks
States around the country have been enacting tough laws against cell phone use while driving, especially texting while driving. In Texas, it’s been illegal to read, write, or send a text while driving since September 1, 2017. These laws are passed in response to the growing dangers of distracted driving. By many measures, distracted driving is becoming just as dangerous, if not more dangerous, than even drunk driving. Even though people recognize the dangers caused by distracted driving, an astonishing proportion of drivers freely admit to texting while driving. For example, in 2015, 42 percent of teenage drivers admitted to actively texting or emailing while driving. Distracted drivers cause crashes, just like drunk drivers.
Beaumont personal injury lawyer Gilbert Adams pursues justice for victims of distracted driving accidents through the civil justice system by holding distracted drivers accountable to their victims and obtaining the maximum compensation available for victims to help them pay their medical bills, recover lost wages, deal with physical and emotional pain and cover other damages arising from the accident.
One in Five Texas Car Crashes is Caused by Distracted Driving
According to the Texas Department of Transportation, distracted driving is the second leading cause of car crashes in the State of Texas. In 2020, 364 people were killed in distracted driving collisions in Texas, 2,200 suffered a serious injury, and thousands more were injured. Of all car crashes across Texas in 2020, nearly 20 percent were connected to distracted driving.
Nationwide, distracted driving leads to roughly 391,000 injuries and as many as 3,500 deaths every year. According to the Workers’ Compensation Division of the Texas Department of Insurance, at any given moment, an estimated 3.8 percent of drivers around the country are actively using a handheld cell phone behind the wheel. High rates of cell phone use while driving persists despite the fact that upwards of 88 percent of drivers understand and believe that distracted driving is on the rise and increases not on the risk of collision, but also the severity of injuries.
The Dangers of Distracted Driving
Safety officials talk about three types of driver distraction: visual, manual, and cognitive. Visual distractions are those that take the driver’s eyes off the road. Manual distractions take the driver’s hands off the wheel, while cognitive distractions take the driver’s attention off of the task of driving.
Texting while driving is so dangerous because it causes all three types of distraction: Drivers’ hands are on their phone instead of the wheel; they are thinking about the message they read or plan to send, or the social media post they plan to make, instead of the cars and hazards around them; and they are looking at their phone to read and write, instead of watching the road. Safety officials estimate that it takes around five seconds to read and respond to a text. At 55 mph, that’s the equivalent of driving the length of a football field with a blindfold on.
Distracted drivers might not intend to cause collisions, but their recklessness greatly increases the likelihood of a crash. If a distracted driver causes an accident with you or someone you care about, you have the right to hold them responsible for the devastation they cause you and your family.
Not all Distracted Drivers Are Texting
Texting while driving might be the most prevalent and most often discussed type of driver distraction, but any activity that triggers one or more types of driver distractions can increase the likelihood of an accident and may be used as proof of negligence in causing the collision. . Any of the following behaviors can contribute to distracted driving:
- Eating
- Reading, including maps
- Watching videos
- Changing clothes
- Personal grooming (hair, makeup, shaving)
- Talking on a cell phone or smartphone
- Texting, emailing, or engaging in social media
If you’ve been hurt in a wreck, a seasoned car accident attorney can investigate the circumstances of your accident to find out if the other driver was distracted or otherwise acting negligently at the time of the crash. Speak with an experienced Texas car accident lawyer for assistance after your auto accident injury.
Call a Trusted Personal Injury Attorney After a Texas Distracted Driving Car Accident
If you or a loved one has been injured or worse in a car crash caused by a distracted driver in Texas, contact the Gilbert Adams Law Offices in Beaumont at 409-835-3000 for a free consultation with a thorough and trial-ready Texas distracted driving accident attorney.
