Providence Distracted Driving Accident Attorney
With virtually everyone owning a cellphone, cellphones have become a major part of our everyday life, and while the benefits of cellphones are numerous, using a cellphone has also proven to be extremely dangerous. Distracted driving has become even more prevalent due to Bluetooth technology and other “hands-free” technology that allows drivers to text and email while driving.
Most people are aware of the dangers of texting and driving, and most people are probably also aware of the dangers of getting distracted while talking on cell phones while driving, even if people are talking on hands free devices.
What most people are not aware of is, that distracted driving has become more dangerous than drunk driving, and is now the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States.
Teenagers have the highest crash rate of any group in the United States. About 963,000 drivers age 16-19 were involved in police-reported crashes in 2013. These crashes resulted in 383,000 injuries and 2,865 deaths.
According research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, distraction was a factor in nearly 6 out of 10 moderate-to-severe teen crashes.
In a matter of just a few seconds, a distracted driver can cause serious injuries or even death to themselves or others. In 2012, distracted driving accidents killed 3,328 people, an additional 421,000 people were injured. The number of injuries increased by 9 percent over the preceding year. Despite the known hazards and the fact that in many states it is illegal, people persist in using their cellphones while driving.
Studies show that drivers using phones to text are twice as likely to cause a crash as a drunk driver and are eight times as likely to cause a crash as other drivers.
Three Main Types of Distraction:
- Visual – taking your eyes off the road.
- Manual – taking your hands of the steering wheel.
- Cognitive – taking your mind off what you’re doing.
Drivers who use hand held devices are four times more likely to get into accidents that injure themselves.
Driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37%.
Text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted.
Distracted Driving Activities:
- Cellphones – talking, texting, checking emails
- Eating and Drinking
- Sleepiness
- Talking to passengers
- Putting on Makeup/Grooming
- Choosing Music, Adjusting Volume
- Looking at a map or your GPS
- Reading
- Listening to podcasts and audiobooks
- Small children and pets
A study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that 69 percent of U.S. drivers between the ages of 18 and 64 reported recent cellphone use while driving.
Nearly one-third additionally reported reading or sending texts while driving at least once in the 30 days prior to their study participation. Drivers ages 16 – 20 years old make up the largest number of distracted drivers.
Studies show that if you are going 60 MPH on a highway, it only takes 2 seconds of inattention to cause a car accident. When you consider that texting typically takes your eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the potential for a serious car accident is almost inevitable.
Rhode Island Distracted Driving Laws
In Rhode Island, drivers under age 18 are banned from using any kind of wireless communication device while driving, including all handheld and hands-free cell phones and text messaging devices. Adults may not text and drive.
Possible consequences include:
- Fines
- Suspended driving privileges
- Court costs
- Automobile Insurance rate increases
Electronic devices aren’t the only distractions a driver faces. Passengers can be distracting, too. This is one reason Rhode Island’s driver licensing rules allow no more than one non-family teen passenger under 21 for the first year of driving, unless supervised by an adult age 21 or older, sitting in the front seat, who has been licensed for at least five years.
Safe Driving Tips:
- Always wear your seat belt.
- Make certain that all of your passengers are using their seatbelts.
- Don’t let a phone call using a hands free device distract you while driving.
- Don’t answer your phone while driving, let it go to voicemail.
- Don’t text message while driving. Don’t look at text messages while driving.
- If you need to use your phone or text message, pull off the road in a safe area.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident caused by distracted driving, let our Providence car accident attorneys help you navigate the complex legal world of insurance companies, claims agents and legal proceedings.
You’ll find the help you need at the Law Offices of Ronald J. Resmini, Accident & Injury Lawyers, Ltd., where we have been successfully representing people in personal injury cases for more than fifty years.
Our Rhode Island Personal Injury Lawyers have all been designated as “Super Lawyers” or “Rising Stars” by Super Lawyers Magazine. Ronald J. Resmini has earned the highest possible rating from Martindale-Hubbell and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
We have won millions of dollars in successful verdicts and settlements for our clients. We are a top-notch Rhode Island Law Firm that knows how to defend complicated cases such as Distracted Driving Accidents.
Call the Law Offices of Ronald J. Resmini, Accident & Injury Lawyers, Ltd. today to schedule your free consultation about your Providence personal injury case. Pick up the phone and call us now at (401) 751-8855.
