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Distracted driving includes all types of behaviors that take a driver's attention from the road. Although distracted driving is often linked to cell phone usage (look at our cell phone accident page here), it is not the only activity that is causing drivers to lose focus. Eating, drinking, conversing with passengers and fidgeting with various gadgets or a radio can all be culprits in distracted driving accidents. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC represents people who have suffered injuries related to a distracted driver in Chicago, Illinois.
Dangers of Distracted Driving
Any time a driver looks away from the road, takes their hands from the wheel or just loses focus while driving, there can be deadly consequences. It only takes a moment for the person in front of them to unexpectedly hit their brakes or for an object to fly onto the road. If the driver is distracted when that occurs, they may not be able to safely react in time. According to a National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) study, the majority of crashes are due to inattention by the driver in that crucial 3 seconds before a crash, accounting for 80% of crashes.
- Texting while driving increases the risk of an accident by 23 times.
- Reaching for a moving object while driving increases the risk by 9 times.
- Putting on make up increases the risk by 3 times.
- Looking at an external object increases the risk of an accident by 3.7 times.
In 2011, there were 3,331 people who were killed and another 387,000 who were injured due to a distracted driver. These people may have been in the car with the driver, walking, riding their bike or sharing the road in another vehicle. The real tragedy is that distracted driving is completely preventable and these losses should never have happened.
Texting & Driving: A Culture That Just Doesn’t Stop
Texting while driving is one of the biggest distractions on the roadway. Although using the cell phone for any reason can distract a driver, texting is the most dangerous because it requires the driver to look away from the road. An average text message takes 4.6 seconds to read which is equivalent to motorists shutting their eyes while driving the distance of a football field at 55 MPH. In addition to being dangerous, in Illinois, texting while driving is against the law and is a primary offense, meaning drivers can be pulled over by police for that violation alone.
Proving Distracted Driving Played a Role in a Chicago Auto Accident
In a car accident case, proving that the other driver was distracted and their negligence caused the accident is not always easy to do. Although police are now better trained in car accident investigations to look for distractions like cell phone use, sometimes it will take eyewitness accounts and other evidence to prove it.
Chicago Car Collision Attorneys for Distracted Driver Accidents
If a distracted driver caused an accident that left you or a loved one injured or even worse, caused a fatality of a loved one, you need an experienced legal team on your side. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC have successfully resolved difficult auto accident cases and our team of experts will help you prove your case. We will use our knowledge and research skills to obtain the financial outcome you deserve for your losses. Contact us for a free consultation here. We work on a contingency basis, meaning you are not charged a fee until we win your case.
Resources concerning the increase of auto accidents due to distracted drivers:
http://www.distraction.gov/content/get-the-facts/facts-and-statistics.html
http://www.ihscdea.org/downloads/il_dd_task_force_final_report_08.pdf
