Local Law Firms Home > Auto Car Crash Overview > Driver Distractions Distracted driving is the new DUI, where everyone is hooked on some form of multi-tasking while driving. As per a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study, driver distractions are responsible for 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes. The distraction can be visual, as in taking your eyes off the road. It can be cognitive (wandering mind) or manual (hands-free driving). Proof of distracted driving is enough to come up with a finding of driver negligence that can be used for a personal injury lawsuit. If the distracted driver is additionally found to be at fault for the accident, that just means a better case and a bigger payout. Have you or a loved one suffered injury and loss because of an accident involving driver distractions? Contact a car accident attorney in your area today to explore your legal options. The following are the main types of driver distractions.
Around 10 percent of drivers still use cell phones while driving. Texting, cell phones and use of handhelds while driving are all on their way to becoming illegal nationwide, as more states join in on the ban. But use of dashboard electronics for entertainment and navigation is still being encouraged by car manufacturers. Applying makeup or eating food while driving, or reading books and maps, or gawking at billboards instead of the road is not something to be condoned, and every driver needs to know that. The ones who do not know or care are teens in the 15-20 age group. Have you or a loved one been in an accident where a distracted driver was indulging in one of the activities described above? Contact a car accident attorney near you today and explore your legal options.
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