You know that drivers are distracted. You’ve seen the commercials, the billboards and the statistics. Even so, when you’re hit by a distracted driver, you have a lot of questions about how to proceed.
It’s very important to know all that you can about the legal process. With that in mind, here are a few key facts about distracted driving:
1. Cellphone records are evidence.
People often assume that what they do on the phone is private. In an accident case, that’s not always true. The records can be brought into court as evidence to show if a person was distracted by texting, for example.
2. Small distractions are still deadly.
People often assume they can handle distractions, if just for a short time. They keep glancing down at the phone for a few seconds, then back at the road. However, at highway speeds, it only takes a few seconds to travel a full 100 yards without looking up; that’s as long as an entire football field.
3. It’s more than texting.
Texting is one of the biggest distractions, but it goes far beyond that. For instance, drinking a coffee or eating a meal while driving can be considered a distraction. Talking to friends, changing the radio station, or trying to type a destination into the GPS can also count.
Distracted driving accidents may leave you with high medical bills, a long hospital stay, and mounting costs as you miss time at work. When this happens, it’s critical to know if you have a right to financial compensation after the wreck.
Source: FindLaw, “Top 10 Tips for Distracted Driving Awareness Month,” Jenny Tsay, accessed June 30, 2017
