Distracted driving comes down to far more than using your mobile phone. Distracted driving is also defined as eating, applying makeup, reading directions, or even just talking to friends any time you are behind the wheel of a car or a truck. Distracted driving is absolutely NOT a new problem. Did you know that initial warnings about distracted driving were first made as a result of the car radio in the 1930’s!
In California the use of cell phones added a dangerous diversion and that led to legislation starting in 2009. The United States Department of Transportation created the website distraction.gov in order to educate drivers on the dangers of texting while driving. In 2013 there were 3,154 people killed as a result of distracted driving and even though the number of fatalities represents a decrease of 6.7 percent from the previous year, the number of injuries actually increased to 424,000 people. Teen drivers and drivers in their twenties account for over 30 percent of that total.
The second you send a text you are using your eyes and your hands. Anyone driving in this manner is statistically up to three times more likely to be involved in a car accident. Just answering your phone or attempting to make a call while driving may lead to an accident during the split second you remove your attention from the road ahead of you. Another consideration is there are only five states with laws that forbid texting while driving. In March of 2015, a San Diego woman was sentenced to prison for six years for causing a deadly accident while she was texting and driving.
No matter how often you hear the statistics or see the stories about the consequences of distracted driving, you never really think it’s going to happen to you. That’s why so many people continue to be injured, sometimes even killed, as a result of texting or using the phone while driving. These injuries and deaths can be easily prevented with one simple New Year’s resolution – stay off the phone while driving!
We represent people who are injured because of the careless and reckless acts of others. At the end of the day your case can only be settled one time and you need to know all of the facts beforehand. The reason that insurance companies have paid our clients in excess of $130,000,000.00 is that we get the facts and are not intimidated at the prospect of going to trial when insurance companies fail to offer full compensation. A Sacramento car accident attorney can help with serious injuries that require serious representation. We are the Law Offices of Guenard & Bozarth, LLP. Our attorneys have more than 60 years of experience specializing in only representing injured people. Call GB Legal 24/7/365 at 888-809-1075 or contact Guenard & Bozarth online. We would be honored to represent you!
