Norfolk Distracted Driving Accident Attorneys
Representing the Injured in Norfolk, Newport News, Roanoke & Virginia
Distracted drivers pose a serious safety risk to the millions of Americans they share the road with. Researchers estimate that distracted driving is a factor in the majority of auto accidents occurring on our nation's roads.
Distracted driving is a term that refers to any action causing you to focus your concentration on something other than the task of driving. Many common distractions drastically increase your risk of getting into an auto accident.
Common Driving Distractions
Some of the most common driving distractions include:
- Talking on your cell phone while driving
- Texting while driving
- Looking at an object outside the vehicle or “rubbernecking”
- Grooming or applying makeup
- Using a hand-held device such as a GPS or iPod
- Driving while fatigued
- Eating while driving
These distractions can prevent a driver from focusing properly on the road, leading to swerving, abrupt braking, an inability to see another driver cutting you off, failure to stop at a red light, or failure to note road construction signs. All of these actions will greatly increase your risk of an accident.
Driving While Talking or Texting on Cell Phones
Two of the most dangerous driver distractions are talking on the cell phone and texting while driving. In 2008, there were approximately 6,000 fatalities and 500,000 injuries in auto accidents caused by distracted drivers. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that cell phone use was a factor in many of these accidents.
In fact, a report released by the Department of Transportation indicates that driving while talking on the cell phone is almost as dangerous as driving while intoxicated.
Texting while driving is far more dangerous. When you talk on the cell phone, your eyes are at least on the road. Texting while driving forces you to take your eyes off the road, often for dangerously long periods of time. A recent study on the texting behaviors of truck drivers found that truckers took their eyes off the road for as much as five seconds every time they texted. Driving 60 mph on the highway, five seconds is long enough to cause a serious accident.
The dangers of cell phone use and texting while driving is compounded by the frequency which young, inexperienced drivers engage in these actions. Young drivers are already at a statistically higher risk of getting into a car accident. Cell phone use raises this risk even higher.
Experienced Norfolk Car Accident Lawyers
If you have suffered a serious injury in an auto accident caused by a distracted driver, Kalfus & Nachman PC can help you receive the compensation you deserve. We have the skills and experience to battle the insurance companies, and we can help make sure your settlement adequately covers your medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Please contact the Norfolk car accident attorneys at Kalfus & Nachman PC today by calling (855) 880-8163 or completing our online form to schedule your free initial consultation. We serve clients in Roanoke, Norfolk, and Newport News, Virginia.