Baytown Distracted Driving Accident Attorney

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents across the globe. Smartphones are an essential part of many people’s lives, and unfortunately, it’s not unusual for drivers to text, make phone calls, or even use apps. When a driver takes their attention off the road, it’s more likely that they will be involved in an accident. A phone can distract drivers from road conditions, traffic signals, and the other drivers they are sharing the road with.

At the moment, the demand for Baytown texting accident legal services is high. If you were the victim of an accident that was caused by someone using their phone while driving, you’ll want to talk to a Baytown distracted driving accident attorney. Like plenty of other states, Texas has taken steps to prevent drivers from using phones while behind the wheel. The goal of this is to reduce accidents and prevent injuries caused by these accidents. If you’ve been involved in an accident that was caused by a texting driver, contact the Baytown car accident lawyers at Gomel & Associates so that you can get the guidance that you need.

How Can Gomel & Associates Attorneys Help You?

It’s estimated that around 25% of vehicle accidents involve texting-while-driving. You could describe this issue as a scourge. A phone won’t just take a driver’s attention away from the road. It can also decrease a driver’s reaction time by approximately 20%. It’s important to remember that accidents that involve distracted driving can lead to serious injuries and can even be fatal. The victims of these accidents may struggle to recover from these injuries. In some cases, victims are left with long-term disabilities. Medical expenses and loss of wages can cause people to struggle financially.

If you or a member of your family is the victim of an accident that was caused by a texting driver, reach out to the attorneys at Gomel & Associates right away so that we can assist you. If you get in touch with us early on, we’ll have ample time to build a strong case on your behalf. We’ll make sure you receive the compensation that you’re entitled to.

Our Baytown legal team has extensive experience and is highly skilled. We’ll be able to look into the circumstances of your accident and can collect evidence that will support your case, such as cellphone records. When you talk to our attorneys, you’ll receive more information about your options and advice on how you should proceed.

National Driving and Texting Statistics

Researchers have found that one of the top causes of car accidents in America is distracted driving. Many things can cause a driver to be distracted when they’re on the road. However, texting or talking on the road is one of the most common causes of distracted driving. This often leads to serious injuries. The accidents caused by a distracted driver could lead to permanent disabilities and could even be fatal.

If you’d want a clearer picture of the thread driving while texting poses, this analogy from the NHTSA might help.

If you’re sending a text, reading a message someone else sent, or talking to someone on the phone, you’re dealing with manual, visual, and cognitive distractions. When you’re looking at your phone, your eyes leave the road for approximately 4.5 seconds. If you do this while driving 55 mph, it’s like driving down the length of a football field with your eyes closed.

Researchers have also found that approximately 20% of accidents each year could be prevented if drivers focused on the road and stayed away from their phones while driving. This is a sobering statistic, especially when you remember that it’s illegal to call or text while driving across the country. If a driver uses their phone while driving, and they are involved in an accident, they are guilty of negligence.

Is Texting While Driving Bad?

Presently, thirty-four out of fifty states have regulations in place that are designed to keep people from texting while they’re behind the wheel. In thirty-one states, it’s against the law. It’s such a serious offense that police in those states can pull over drivers that are using their phone. Despite this, there are still many drivers that use their phones on the road. In 2011, a document that was released by the NHTSA found that the percentage of drivers that used phones on the road increased from 0.6% to 0.9% between 2009 and 2010.

As an example, in the state of New York, texting or using the phone while driving was declared a major offense in July of 2011. Despite that, by mid-September of that year, there were more than 4,600 tickets issues for this offense by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

How Dangerous is it to Text While Driving?

It’s extremely risky behavior. According to a document from the NHTSA, the risk of an accident increases by 2,300% when a driver is texting. The same research states that over 500,000 are injured in distracted accidents, while 6,000 are killed. Most fatal accidents involve trucks. Because trucks are so large, accidents involving these vehicles are far more likely to be deadly.

According to the report, drivers distracted by their phones are 23:2 times more likely to cause an accident than a driver that is focusing on the task at hand. Drivers that aren’t distracted can quickly spot hazards and respond appropriately.

The risk of distracted driving is so high that tech developers are trying to find ways to prevent this problem. A phone app known as Text Zapper is just one example of this. When the app is installed, phones are disabled when vehicles are moving. This means that text messages can’t be sent or received. The app utilizes Trakker GPS technology, which can keep track of the location of a vehicle and the speed it is traveling at. Of course, an app like this won’t work unless a driver downloads it first.

Young Drivers Using Cellphones

There are worrying statistics that state that the majority of drivers that use their phones on the road are between the ages of 16 and 25. A report from the Pew Research Foundation found that some drivers between 16 and 17 admit to talking on the phone and texting while driving. Drivers between the ages of 16 and 25 have less experience, which means they’re already more likely to be involved in an accident. When that lack of experience is mixed with distractions, it can have serious consequences. Furthermore, researchers have found that teenage passengers are unlikely to call out a texting driver for their behavior.

Laws in Texas on Texting While Driving

In 2017, Texas passed a law that was designed to prevent drivers from texting behind the wheel. In this state, someone that engages in distracted driving is liable for negligence. Even if a driver does not receive a criminal or traffic citation after an accident, they will be determined to be at fault if they used their phone and drove at the same time.

Because of this, if a distracted driver caused an accident, the victims of their accident can seek damages from them in court. If you need help with your case, reach out to Gomel & Associates right away so that one of our attorneys can assist you.

Dangers Associated With Using a Phone While Driving

Most people are aware that texting and driving at the same time are dangerous. However, it can be helpful to explain to people exactly why this behavior is so risky. These are some of the reasons that texting while behind the wheel can be such a hazard.

It’s A Manual Distraction

If you drive and have a hand on your phone, you will have a harder time steering if an emergency occurs. As a rule of thumb, you should have both hands on the wheel while driving.

It’s A Visual Distraction

Drivers need to be able to respond to problems quickly, which is why they must keep both eyes on the road. If you look down at your phone, you’ll have a slower reaction time, which means you’re less likely to respond to hazards quickly.

It’s A Mental Distraction

You’re far more likely to be in an accident if your focus elsewhere. You should never read or respond to texts while driving.

Texting while driving doesn’t just put your life at risk; it’s a risk for everyone else on the road as well. If you can’t wait to text someone, you should pull over. Sadly, thousands of accidents involving texting while driving each year. If you are the victim of an accident that a distracted driver caused, you’ll find that legal help from an experienced Baytown car accident lawyer can be a huge help.

How To Prove That The Other Party Was Distracted While Driving

It isn’t always easy to collect evidence that proves the driver that caused the accident was distracted, especially if you don’t have access to video evidence. If there are eyewitnesses, they could testify that the driver was on their phone. Sadly, it can be hard to find people that can provide testimony. If there’s no video footage or witnesses, what are your options? You can have a Baytown car accident attorney subpoena the phone records of the other driver. This can be used to determine whether or not the other driver was using their phone at the time of the accident.

With strong evidence like this, jurors are very likely to side with the victim of the accident, especially if you also have evidence that you weren’t on your phone. With the right evidence, your chances of receiving compensation will be much higher.

Call A Baytown Distracted Driving Accident Attorney Today

If you are the victim of an accident that was caused by a distracted driver, please contact Gomel & Associates so that you can talk to one of the best personal injury lawyers. You can get the assistance that you need from one of our skilled and talented lawyers. We have plenty of experience with cases involving driving while texting. We’ll be able to gather the appropriate evidence for your case so that you’ll receive the compensation that you are owed. If you need help, just call 713-529-7848. We’d be happy to offer you a free consultation, and you’re under no obligation to work with us in the future.