Distracted driving accident lawyer ri

One of the biggest problems on the road in Rhode Island is distracted driving. As technology becomes further advanced with each passing year, it results in more people getting behind the wheel and becoming distracted as they take their eyes, hands and attention in general off the road and focus on their cell phones, GPS systems and other technological devices. However,  drivers can be distracted by other situations as well, such as a simple conversation with a passenger in their vehicle. This dangerous practice puts an increasing amount of people at risk each and every day. The best way to avoid distracted driving is to know the statistics and what you can do to avoid a potential disaster.

What is Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving is essentially any type of activity that takes a driver’s attention off of the actual task of driving. It can include any number of actions, such as talking on a cell phone, even while hands-free, eating, conversing with others in the vehicle, putting on makeup, drinking a beverage, adjusting the car stereo, using GPS or reading a map or picking up an object that was dropped. If you were injured in a distracted driving accident in  Rhode Island , contact a  distracted driving lawyer ri.

Perhaps the most dangerous aspect of distracted driving is texting while behind the wheel. Merely reading a text takes the driver’s eyes off the road for five seconds. However, that can be extremely dangerous when there are other vehicles on the road and pedestrians crossing the street. Even for five seconds, if a car is traveling at 55 miles per hour, it can travel the full length of a football field.

Texting and engaging in any other type of activity that takes your full attention off the task of driving can make for an extremely dangerous situation as it increases the risk of an accident.

Types of Distraction While Driving

As already mentioned, distracted driving can take many forms. There are three general types of distracted driving. They include the following:

• Manual: Manual distracted driving occurs when a person removes their hands from the steering wheel to do something else
• Visual: Visual distraction is any activity that takes the driver’s eyes off the road as they focus their view on something else
• Cognitive: Cognitive distracted driving involves the driver’s focus being shifted elsewhere when it should be on the road

Consequences of Distracted Driving | distracted driving lawyer ri

Sadly, there are as many as 3,287 lives lost on a daily basis as a result of car accidents. However, on average, nine of those result from distracted driving and are completely preventable if drivers would avoid distractions. In 2016, 3,450 people were killed in accidents involving a driver who was distracted. In 2015, there were 391,000 injuries sustained by people in car accidents with distracted drivers.

Teens are the largest group of people who are involved in distracted driving as they tend to use their cell phones most while driving. Additionally, teens are the largest group to be involved in fatalities stemming from distracted driving car accidents.

Scarily, texting while driving, in particular, is a problem that has even become more dangerous than drunk driving. This is largely due to the alarming statistic of a person who is texting while driving being 23 times more likely to cause a road accident. If you were injured in a texting and driving accident, contact a distracted driving lawyer ri.

Risk Factors | RI car accident lawyer

Drivers 20 and younger are the most at risk of getting involved in a car accident resulting in fatalities due to distracted driving. According to the Center for Disease Control’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), 42 percent of high school students in 2015 claimed to have sent a text or email from their smartphone while driving. Additionally, the survey found that these young people were also more likely to ride with a driver who had been drinking, less likely to wear a seatbelt and more likely to drink and drive themselves.

Preventative Measures | texting and driving in ri

Many states throughout the country have taken measures to curb the problem of distracted driving. Laws that ban using a handheld cell phone and texting while driving have been enacted. As of June 2017, 14 states and the District of Columbia banned drivers from using cell phones in the hand. During that same time, 46 states and the District of Columbia banned the practice of texting while driving.

If you have been injured in a car accident that resulted from distracted driving, you will probably want to file a personal injury lawsuit. It’s important to get in touch with an experienced personal injury lawyer immediately to get valuable guidance and to start your suit.