Distracted driving is at a nation-wide, all-time high. Never before have our roadways been more full of dangerous drivers. In recent years, while other developed countries have seen their traffic deaths decrease, the U.S. has averaged over 40,000 traffic deaths a year, a drastic increase from the lows that were reported roughly one decade ago. This is, in part, due to distracted drivers. If you were injured in a traffic collision, there is a very high chance that the other driver, who caused the crash, was engaged in an activity other than driving, such as talking on the phone, texting, emailing, or even video-chatting with a friend. Marc Brown can help you seek car accident compensation in Columbia from this irresponsible individual.
Types of Distracted Driving
There are three forms of distraction while driving: cognitive (allowing one’s focus to be removed from driving), physical (removing one’s hand’s from the steering wheel), and visual (taking one’s eyes off the road).
- Texting—Texting and driving is not a new phenomenon, but the prevalence at which the average driver engages in it has become startling. Whether a driver texts while their vehicle is moving, or while they are stopped at a red light, the danger to other road users (particularly pedestrians in the case of texting at red lights) is still there.
- Talking on the Phone—The vast majority of drivers admit to using their phones while they drive, and making phone calls is the predominant reason for using the phone while driving. Even if a driver is using a hand’s free device, phone conversations still cause serious distraction.
- GPS and Phone Navigation—Punching in directions or merely looking at a GPS or phone screen is a form of distracted driving, even though using such devices is legal in South Carolina.
- Other Phone Use—Taking pictures, reading emails, watching videos, changing the music, and updating social media profiles are all, unfortunately, common behavior for many drivers in today’s world.
Other examples of distracted driving include:
- Eating/Drinking
- Daydreaming/Staring out the Side Window
- Reaching For Objects
- Attending to Children in the Back Seat
- Using the Vehicles Infotainment Screen
Damages in a Columbia Distracted Driver Crash
Traffic victims can expect to receive some or all of the following types of compensation following a successful personal injury claim or lawsuit verdict:
- Medical bills
- Future medical costs
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of joy of life
- Property damage.
Call a Columbia Distracted Driving Accident Attorney Today
As with all types of traffic collisions, it is necessary to prove fault in a distracted driving claim. While you do not necessarily have to prove that the other driver was texting (for example) you must be capable of establishing the cause of the collision, which could be running a stop sign, rolling forward while stopped at a red light and hitting a pedestrian, or drifting into the oncoming lane of traffic, for example. Columbia distracted driving accident attorney Marc Brown can help you get started today. Call us at (803) 848-0008 to schedule a free consultation.