Distracted Driving Car Accidents Caused by Texting and Driving

Car accidents can occur because of bad visibility, bad road conditions, or other factors, such as drowsiness or drunk driving. Many accidents today can be attributed to distracted driving given the higher presence of technology in the car. Yet, drivers can be distracted by a multitude of activities while driving.  Texting gets a lot of attention these days and can be easily proven given the time of a text and an accident. Some other ways a driver can be distracted is:

• Applying makeup
• Eating
• Programming a GPS, whether it is a separate GPS device or a map application on a phone
• Talking to passengers
• Adjusting a radio, MP3 player, CD player, or music playing from a cell phone

How Quickly is a Driver Distracted?

Anything that takes a driver’s eyes off the road can be considered a distraction that causes accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that texting is particularly dangerous since it can take a driver’s eyes off the road for five seconds. When driving 55 miles per hour, it only takes five seconds to drive the length of a football field. It only takes one second for an accident to occur, so any activity that diverts a driver’s eyes can cause a fatal crash at any moment.

In New Jersey, between 2011 and 2015, 804,000 crashes have been caused by distracted driving. In 2016, there were 3,450 fatalities caused by distracted driving throughout the United States.

Technology Assists Drivers to Avoid Distracted Drivers

Drivers can set their phones to a certain mode that will send back a message informing other people texting them that the they are driving when in a moving vehicle. Drivers can also set phones to Do Not Disturb while driving, so that drivers will not get sound notifications for texts, phone calls, and other communications while driving.

New Jersey law discourages the use of a cell phone while driving. The first offense will cost between $200 to $400 and the second offense will cost between $400 to $600. The third offense will cost drivers from $600 to $800 and will come with three motor vehicle offense points against their license and possibly a 90-day license suspension. Since text messaging requires the full physical and cognitive attention of the driver, it is one of the most serious types of distractions.

Cherry Hill Car Accident Lawyers at DiTomaso Law Assist Victims Injured in Car Accidents

If you or a loved one has been hurt in a car accident due to a distracted driver, the Cherry Hill car accident lawyers at DiTomaso Law can help. We can assist you in determining whether distracted driving was a factor in the accident. Our offices are in Philadelphia and Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and we proudly serve clients from the surrounding areas. For a free consultation, call us today at 856-414-0010 or contact us online.