It’s no secret that cellphones have drastically impacted how we communicate with one another, now allowing us the opportunity to stay connected with loved ones with the touch of a button. However, it’s also evident that many are attached to their devices. Unfortunately, one instance in which many are caught texting when they shouldn’t is while driving. If you have been injured due to a texting driver in Texas, you know that these injuries can be devastating. That is why it’s critical to understand your legal options. The following blog explores the dangers associated with this act and the importance of working with a San Angelo, Texas auto accident lawyer to discuss your circumstances.
Why Is Texting and Driving Dangerous?
Unfortunately, many drivers are under the assumption that, even though texting while driving is inherently dangerous, they are “good” at it, making it acceptable. However, any time you take your eyes off the road, even if it’s just for a few seconds to read a text, you drastically increase the risk that you will be involved in a collision. These matters are made even more risky if you remove one or both hands from the wheel to respond to the message, meaning you have lost visual, physical, and cognitive control of the vehicle.
Studies estimate that sending or reading a text can take around five seconds. If you are traveling at 55 miles per hour, that means you are essentially driving the length of five football fields while texting. As such, regardless of how fast you are traveling, taking your eyes off the road means you can miss the driver in front of you braking, a red light, or a pedestrian entering a crosswalk.
Texting and driving is a serious issue, claiming the lives of over 3,200 people in the year 2023 alone.
What Are My Options if a Distracted Driver Injures Me?
While you may understand the risks associated with texting and driving and implement the necessary steps to prevent distractions while on the road, others may not take the same precautions. As such, if you are injured in a collision due to a driver texting while behind the wheel, it’s critical to understand your legal options.
Generally, the most important thing you can do in these matters to fight for the compensation you deserve is to seek medical care for any injuries you have sustained. This can help ensure that the injuries you’ve sustained can be treated while also establishing immediate medical care for the purposes of your injury claim.
You should also connect with an attorney as soon as possible for the injuries you’ve suffered as a result of the accident. Your attorney can help you obtain important information, like phone records, to help show that the negligent party was using their device while driving in the moments leading up to the collision.
As you can see, navigating an accident caused by a distracted driver can be incredibly difficult. That is why it’s critical to work with an experienced attorney with the Mathis Law Firm, PLLC to guide you through these matters. Our firm will examine your circumstances to help you fight for justice. Contact us today to learn more.
