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DAN LOVELL, YOUR LAS VEGAS CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY
Texting Driving Accidents: 3 Seconds to Death
As a motorist, you are risking your life every time you maneuver a vehicle. You are well aware of this fact that’s why you take precautionary measures and follow traffic rules well. However, if a distracted driver comes at you at 62 miles per hour, then you and your passengers will only have a 10% chance of survival. The most popular form of distracted driving is texting driving.
Texting driving accidents account for 1.6 million road accidents in the US each year. Of this number, over 330,000 accidents have led to severe injuries. In a recent study, it showed that texting while driving is more dangerous than driving while intoxicated.
It only takes an average of three seconds of texting driving for any road accident to take place. Remember that three seconds is just the bare minimum it takes to turn any person’s life around, and even end it.
Who is likely to text and drive?
Teenage drivers are the most likely to text and drive, with 71% of teens and young adults guilty of composing and sending text messages while driving. Florida passed their first law that bans texting and driving in 2013. In the first year of implementation, fewer than 1,800 citations were issued.
Florida is not the only state that has enacted a law against texting driving. The District of Columbia and all other 46 states have done the same to help raise awareness of the dangers of texting driving, and also prevent accidents related to it from happening. Also, two other states have banned texting driving for new drivers only.
But texting and driving can’t be helped when you’re rushing to work or an emergency. If you are in these situations, it is best to call using a headset instead of texting. This way, you can talk to the other person while you’re driving safely towards your intended destination.
Is it always the motorist’s fault?
While the motorist must follow traffic laws, pedestrians also must ensure their safety at all times. Researchers from the University of Washington who monitored around 20 of the busiest intersections have noticed the following:
Those that text are four times less likely to look when crossing the streets and crosswalks. They are also less likely to obey traffic signals.
Texting pedestrians take more or less two seconds longer in crossing the roads.
If an accident occurs because a pedestrian wasn’t looking or following traffic signals, then the blame will not be on the driver. The liability will be on the pedestrian. There are also instances when responsibility is divided between the two parties. Of course, that is to be confirmed through a thorough investigation.
If you were involved in texting driving accidents, what should you do?
You may not know immediately that the at-fault party has been texting and driving when the collision happened. That fact may come after a thorough investigation. An experienced lawyer will help you to reveal the details of the case with the help of his dedicated team.
Experts will gather substantial and specific evidence.
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