Distracted driving has become an epidemic in the United States. According to Distraction.Gov, a division of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 421,000 people in the United States suffered injury in distracted driving accidents in 2012 alone, while an additional 3,328 people died from their injuries. Distracted driving injured more people than drunk driving did that year.
Though every driver should know the risks of driving while distracted, many drivers continue to do so. While using a cell phone primarily comes to mind when thinking of possible distractions, there are many other activities that may distract a driver. In fact, any activity that takes your eyes from the road, mind off what you are doing, or hands off the wheel is considered a distraction. Common distractions include:
- Texting or messaging
- Programming a GPS device
- Talking on the phone
- Drinking or eating
- Personal grooming
- Adjusting a radio
- Reading
- Watching a video on a device
Anyone hurt by a driver who was distracted deserves to fully and fairly recover from the responsible party. The experienced auto accident attorneys at the Alpharetta office of Boling Rice, LLC are committed to holding distracted driver accountable for their potentially dangerous actions.
Drivers who violate the law
In addition to being negligent, some distracted driving is against Georgia state law. In 2010, Georgia made all texting, emailing, instant messaging, or online browsing on a handheld mobile device illegal. Additionally, teen drivers may not use a handheld mobile device for any reason while behind the wheel. If a driver breaks a distracted driving law and causes an accident, a court will likely find that driver was negligent per se, which means automatically negligent. This means there may be strict consequences on both the civil and possibly criminal side for drivers who violate these laws and cause injuries.
Overall, whether a driver violates a law or engages in another type of distraction, anyone who causes injury due to distracted driving should be held accountable for their actions.
Practice Area:
Auto Accidents
Boling Rice LLC
2475 Northwinds Pkwy, Suite 200
Alpharetta, Georgia 30009
Phone: (770) 355-0780
