Accidents Caused by Driving While Texting

Laws banning texting while driving exist for very specific reasons. As such, these laws are just as important as any other and deserve to be followed equally as closely. Failure to do so could create accidents catastrophic enough to end in serious injury or even fatality.
In today’s technology-driven society cell phones play a significant role in the lives of many. For most individuals, cell phones are now the main method of communication; no longer are these devices primarily used for engaging in verbal conversations with friends, family members, colleagues, etc. Instead, cellular devices are now used almost exclusively to text and interact via the internet. While this has proven to be quite the popular trend among individuals across the country, and throughout the world for that matter, it has not proven to be the safest or most effective method of communication, particularly concerning drivers who attempt to utilize the technology when they should be focused on nothing else but the road.

There are almost more incidents of car collisions and auto wrecks than anyone can reasonably keep track of. When texting and driving accidents are added to the mix the number of collisions becomes that much greater. While cell phones offer a great form of communication to those who may be unable to communicate face-to-face they are not meant to enable conversations while one or both parties of a conversation are also driving. This is true whether the driver is talking on their phone or texting on it. Extensive reports have shown that texting while driving significantly impairs a person’s ability to effectively attend to their driving responsibilities, causing distraction and reckless or careless mistakes that could have easily been avoided. In 2010, more than 3,000 people were killed in distracted driving collisions, and it is not unreasonable to assume that many of these were caused by texting drivers.

Since 2009, the U.S. Department of Transportation has conducted two extensive summits to address the issue of drivers who are texting while on the road. In addition, the department has taken great measures to ensure that commercial drivers are prohibited under law to use their cellular devices in any way while on the road. It has also encouraged states to adopt similar laws for non-commercial drivers as well. In states such as California, texting and driving is strictly forbidden and perpetrators of the law will be ticketed and required to pay hefty fines as a result.

The accidents caused by distracted drivers such as those who text while behind the wheel are often catastrophic in nature. Perhaps the most tragic fact about these incidents is the fact they could have been avoided altogether if the texting had been prevented. Therefore, when an individual is wrongfully harmed in an auto accident that was caused by a distracted, texting driver there should be nothing stopping the victim from obtaining legal representation that can help address the matter within the state’s court system. These are cases of personal injury offense, and as such, they can be addressed by an attorney who will help you fight for the compensation and retribution you deserve as the victim of a driving while texting accident.