Motorist distractions are any action that takes a person’s hands off the steering wheel or eyes or focus away from driving their vehicle safely and in accordance with traffic safety laws. Unfortunately, despite federal and state government agencies’ efforts to prevent collisions caused by distracted drivers, the problem continues in the number of crashes and devastating injuries that continue to increase yearly.
The unsafe actions cause as many severe crashes each year as intoxicated motorists. Speak with a hard-working attorney experienced in distracted driving car accidents in Sarasota when you need help building a solid case for compensation.
Different Forms of Driver Distractions
Driver distractions divert the driver’s attention from the vehicle’s safe operation or cause them to remove their hands from the steering wheel. Understanding the different distractions can help motorists keep themselves safe, protect drivers around them from harm, and avoid paying costly fines for violations.
Some distractions, such as texting while driving, involve all three forms, putting the individual and others traveling near them at significant risk of crashes and bodily harm. A skilled attorney in Sarasota could investigate and analyze the evidence to determine the cause and at-fault party of a distracted driving car crash.
Injuries Caused by Distracted Motorists
Crashes caused by reckless, distracted drivers can result in severe or fatal injuries, such as:
Proving the extent of your injuries and damages is not all that needs to be done. Even when injuries are extensive, a person and their attorney need to prepare for allegations of comparative negligence. There are crashes where multiple parties are found to each have some amount of responsibility for the crash, and under the Florida comparative negligence statute if a jury determines an injured driver to be more than 50% to blame for their collision, they cannot secure any compensation whatsoever. When a driver’s percentage of fault is below 50%, their damages award will be reduced by the percentage of fault determined by the jury. During a consultation about a distracted driving wreck claim, a Sarasota attorney from Dannheisser Injury Law will answer your questions and help you avoid this pitfall.
State Wireless Communication Device Laws
A common cause of distracted driving is using a handheld cell phone to browse the internet, talk, or text while driving an automobile. This conduct violates the Florida Ban on Texting While Driving statute and puts people on the roadways at an unreasonable risk of harm. Under Florida law officers are authorized to stop drivers and issue tickets when they see them using mobile devices in the sessions while behind the wheel.
The regulations are designed to keep all roadways safe for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians and prevent avoidable accidents. A citation for distracted driving can be used as evidence of negligence in a Sarasota car crash suit for compensation.
Speak to an Attorney Seasoned in Sarasota Distracted Driving Car Accidents
The rise of the smartphone brought with it a significant increase in distracted motorists, leading to severe and life-threatening or fatal crashes. You have every right to expect justice when you think a negligent driver caused a collision by texting or because of other distractions.
An experienced trial lawyer is often able, by subpoena, to secure evidence of the at fault drivers use of mobile devices while driving.
If you or your family have been injured by distracted drivers call our attorneys at Dannheisser Injury Law today to schedule a free consultation to review your case and options. Our local firm will handle your case by building the personal relationship with you and your family necessary to help you recover the monetary compensation you need to fix and makeup for injuries and losses caused by distracted drivers.
