Distracted driving accidents continue to increase, causing victims serious, even fatal, injuries. With modern technology, drivers are more distracted than ever. Distracted driving includes texting, talking on the phone, watching videos, or simply staring out the window and not focusing on the road.
If you or your loved one have been seriously injured in a Texas distracted driving accident, you may be entitled to compensation. The personal injury attorneys at Rochelle McCullough, LLP are prepared to review your case, help you understand your legal rights, and pursue the total compensation you deserve.
Common Types of Distracted Driving
Most of us associate texting while driving with distracted driving, but many other distractions can cause serious car accidents. The definition of distracted driving is broad and includes anything that diverts a driver’s full attention from the task of operating his or her motor vehicle safely. There are three main categories of distracted driving.
A visual distraction involves a driver taking his or her eyes off the road. Manual distraction occurs when a driver takes his or her hand or hands off of the wheel. Finally, cognitive distraction occurs when a driver loses focus or takes his or her mind off the task of driving safely. Some of the most common types of distracted driving include the following:
- Adjusting the radio volume, air conditioning, or heat
- Programming or using a GPS device or a maps-related app on a cellphone
- Talking to passengers
- Trying to talk to or help children passengers in the back seat while driving
- Changing the radio station
- Personal grooming
- Eating and drinking
- Searching for something in the vehicle
- Becoming preoccupied with strong emotions or lost in thought
- Becoming distracted by looking at a car accident
Why Is Texting While Driving So Dangerous?
Texting while driving is one of the most dangerous forms of distracted driving. When a driver is texting, he or she is engaging in all categories of distraction: visual, manual, and cognitive. The driver is looking at the phone screen, not the road in front of him or her, and must have at least one hand off the wheel to hold the cell phone.
Drivers are cognitively distracted because they think about reading and responding to text messages instead of focusing on driving. In the five seconds it takes to read and respond to a text message, a driver could travel the length of an entire football field. Within that time frame, the driver could swerve into another traffic lane, sideswipe another vehicle, or even drive through an intersection with a red light, causing a severe accident.
Rear-End Accidents Caused by Distracted Driving
Although distracted driving can cause many types of accidents, including head-on collisions, sideswipe accidents, and T-Bone accidents, it is most commonly a factor in rear-end accidents. An inattentive driver is more likely to overlook the brake lights of the driver in front of him or her or the fact that a car is stopped at a stop sign or red light.
Rear-end accidents can be dangerous for the driver and passenger in the front vehicle. The force of the collision can cause the victims’ heads and necks to quickly snap forward and backward, resulting in painful whiplash injuries. Neck and back injuries can make it challenging for victims to return to work due to pain and immobility.
Distracted Driving Accidents Can Cause Severe Injuries
Many state governments, including Texas, have engaged in a public relations campaign to inform drivers about the dangers of distracted driving. Even with increased awareness about how dangerous distracted driving can be, it’s impossible to eliminate every possible distraction drivers face when they are behind the wheel.
However, all drivers have a legal and moral obligation to keep their attention focused on the road while driving. Engaging in distracting behaviors is a choice drivers make. If a driver needs to make a phone call or send a text message, he or she should pull over safely or wait until the drive is completed instead of trying to multitask. When drivers make a dangerous choice to become distracted, they jeopardize everyone on the road.
Motorcyclists, pedestrians, and bicyclists are at a higher risk of being injured by distracted drivers because they are smaller and more difficult to spot. For example, a distracted driver may not see a motorcyclist when making a lane change and swerve directly into the motorcyclist. It only takes a few seconds of distracted driving to alter a victim’s life forever.
Proving Liability
Like many states, Texas passed a law restricting cell phone use while driving. Drivers cannot use wireless communication devices for sending, reading, or writing electronic messages while driving, including text messages and emails. Additionally, 90 Texas cities have enacted their own stricter cell phone laws.
Additionally, if you can prove the driver was texting while driving, speeding, or violating another traffic law, you’ll be able to prove negligence per se, meaning the driver breached his or her duty of care, making it easier to obtain damages.
Regardless of the type of distracted driving that caused the accident that resulted in your injuries, the attorneys at Rochelle McCullough, LLP will work diligently to investigate your case. We will work with accident reconstruction specialists and gather evidence proving that the at-fault driver is liable for your injuries. As a victim of a distracted driving accident, you can pursue compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, property damage, pain and suffering, and other damages.
We Hold Distracted Drivers in Texas Accountable
Victims of distracted driving car accidents can face hundreds of thousands of dollars or more in medical expenses and other damages. Victims may not be able to return to work due to their painful injuries. If a negligent driver has injured you, you only have a limited time to pursue damages for your injuries. Don’t hesitate to contact the Dallas personal injury attorneys at Rochelle McCullough, LLP to schedule a complimentary case evaluation and learn how we can fight for you.
We extend our personal injury legal services to help clients throughout Texas, including Dallas, & Fort Worth, as well as in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Committed to advocating for your rights and securing the compensation you deserve.