Distracted Driver Accidents in Texas
Distracted driving caused by a cell phone led to the death of a 7-year-old Texas boy a few weekends ago. The driver of the 2004 Chevy Suburban was distracted by the use of a cell phone when the driver left the roadway and overcorrected, causing the SUV to roll over and land on its passenger side. The young girl, the only one in the car not wearing a seat belt, died on the scene as a result of a head injury after the force of the accident threw her from the vehicle. Four other passengers in the SUV were not injured, and troopers reported that the driver was in normal condition.The Texas Department of Transportation keeps track of car accident-related statistics. Since 2005, cell phones have contributed to 17,519 accidents, leading to 7,519 injuries and 167 deaths. San Antonio leads the states with 1,611 cell-phone related accidents in the past five years. An experienced Lufkin injury lawyer can assist you if a distracted driver has injured you in a car accident.
Distracted Driving
While cell phone calls and texting have been a popular target of late, a number of factors can cause distracted driving accidents, including: eating meals, putting on make-up, fiddling with the controls of the stereo, speaking to passengers, using a GPS system, or reading.Distracted driving causes problems on the road for several reasons:
- It can cause you to take your eyes off the road. It only takes a few seconds for a car to approach you or for someone or something to dart in front of your car, and, if you are not paying attention for those few seconds, an accident is inevitable.
- It can cause you to take your hands of the wheel. You cannot maneuver your car quickly if you are not in control of it at the time.
- It distracts cognitively. If you are engrossed in a conversation or managing a cell phone, it takes you longer to process other information for the simple reason that it is difficult to do multiple things requiring concentration well. Studies have shown that using a cell phone, for instance, delays one’s reactions as much as having a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent.
Distracted driving is serious business. Nearly 6,000 people die every year as a result of distracted driving accidents, and such accidents injure more than half a million. Contact a Lufkin injury attorney at Mike Love & Associates, LLC to discuss any problems related to distracted driving accidents.