Distracted drivers are the number one safety concern of people on the road. In fact, this is a significantly higher concern over all other things drivers worry about, like drunk drivers or bad weather.
Yet, so many people text and drive! If you don’t do it, you probably know someone who does. Or, you/they may take the occasional phone call while driving either via handheld talking or a hands-free device.
Such decisions often result in distracted driver accidents. The definition of a distracted driver and the penalty for the driver vary by state, but one thing is for sure: it’s a matter to take seriously.
Here’s a closer look at what each kind of distracted driver accident is.
Texting and Driving
Texting and driving is when you pick up your phone and send someone a message. Distracted driver accidents are also considered to be related to texting and driving if the person behind the wheel is just reading the message without sending anything.
More often than not, the text can wait. When people really need to get a hold of someone, they typically call them. There’s no message worth reading on the road that is valuable enough to risk a life.
Handheld Cellphone Use
While most people assume taking calls is a good alternative to texting and driving, this isn’t exactly true. This makes the driver pay attention to more things than they have to, and it takes away their ability to drive with both hands.
If you choose to drive with just one hand anyway, you at least have the other hand free to react in a split-second type of situation. It’s much harder to do that with a phone in your hand.
Wireless Communications
Since texting and driving are illegal in most states and most cars now have Bluetooth and other hands-free technology, many people on the roads use wireless communications. While it allows the driver to keep both their hands on the wheel, it still doesn’t offer ideal safety for everyone in the car or sharing the road.
The driver is still distracted by what the other person is saying. As the conversation goes on, they’re more invested in that than what is happening on the road. If the weather conditions are tough or there is a lot of traffic, the situation is even more dangerous.
Not to mention, it’s possible that the person on the other end of the phone says something particularly shocking or exciting that causes a physical reaction. All it takes is one quick, sudden movement to alter the driver’s course and the safety of everyone involved.
Recovering from Distracted Driver Accidents
Texas laws for distracted driver accidents range depending on where you are in Texas and a few road conditions, too. As such, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
If you end up as a victim of another driver’s distraction, though, there is help available to you. No matter how minor or major of a crash it was, your best bet is to move forward with legal counsel. Click here to contact us and discover what our attorneys can do for you.