Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
Driving While Texting
How Distracted Driving Accidents Occur
Have you surrendered to the temptation?
You are stuck in the crush of rush hour traffic and you hear the familiar tone of a text message. You grab your phone and check the message and decide as long as traffic is mostly stop and start, it can't hurt to send a quick text in response. The next thing you know, you have caused a distracted driving accident.
Every one is susceptible to accidents, minor or major, while driving, but taking your focus away from the road and traffic to send a text is such a growing problem that legislation is being put forth to halt this practice. We are a society of multi-taskers and our increased incidents of motor vehicle accidents indicate that our focus may be stretched too thin.
Who are Most Likely to Cause a Distracted Driving Accident?
Teens seem to be especially vulnerable to the temptation to text while driving. Staying in constant communication with their peers is a vital part of being a teenager; and doing so while driving, especially if one is a new driver, can be a fatal combination.
Forty-six percent of drivers ages 16 to 17 admit to texting while driving. Unfortunately, they are also the highest risk group for automobile accidents.
One study defines the risk of a crash to be four times higher while using a cell phone. This increased crash risk has become a serious national issue over a relatively short period of time as the number of wireless devices, and the numbers of people using the devices while driving have increased.
- In 1990, there were 5 million wireless subscribers.
- Today, there are more than 270 million wireless subscribers in the U.S.
- According to a 2008 national survey, roughly eight in ten (81%) of cell phone owners report that they talk on their cell phones while driving and one in five (18%) report that they send text messages while driving.
Stay alert for the distracted drivers on the road. If someone's attention is on the phone their attention is not on the road, other drivers or on you.
What To Do After an Accident Caused by a Distracted Driver
If you or a loved one has been the victim of a distracted driver who was texting while driving in Massachusetts, you may be entitled to a monetary compensation for your injuries and pain.
To find out about your legal rights and options, contact the Boston car accidents lawyers at the Kiley Law Group for a Free review of your case.
Free Consultations: 1-888-208-1695.
