Distracted Driving Accidents

DISTRACTED DRIVING CAN BE DANGEROUS
When it comes to driving, few things are more dangerous than not paying attention. A driver who doesn’t have their eyes on the road can cause a disaster in less than a second. This is why any sort of distracted driving needs to be taken extremely seriously. Taking even a short moment to look at something else means that a driver may miss someone changing lanes, an animal darting into the road, or even a pedestrian or bicyclist in front of them.

Distracted driving can be deadly. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2021, distracted driving took 3,522 lives. Out of that number, 644 were passengers, pedestrians, or bicyclists. Additionally, an estimated 362,415 people were injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes involving distracted drivers.

There are dozens of things that can cause distracted driving, even if you do them often. These can include: 

• Talking on the Phone
• Texting
• Using Social Media or other App
• Eating
• Drinking
• Reading
• Using A GPS
• Using the Radio/Music Player
• Talking With Passengers
• Disciplining Children
• Brushing Your Hair
• Putting On Makeup
• Watching A Video
• Looking at an Accident
• Looking at a Traffic Stop

Regardless of the distraction, your first few steps after a crash should always be to report the accident and call for medical assistance. The very next step should be contacting an experienced attorney like Wayne Hardee. 

Calling an attorney may seem extreme, but it is an important part of the process. This is because many insurance companies will try to offer a lump sum settlement in severe injury cases which may hinder your ability to get the compensation you truly deserve. 

It is also more important in North Carolina than it may be in other states because we have what is called “Contributory Negligence,” which prevents people from receiving compensation for their injuries if it is ruled that they hold any fault for an accident.