Texting and Driving

Washington, DC Car Accident Lawyers

Cell phones have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. The ability to instantly communicate with anybody at anytime may be convenient, but unfortunately, it has also led to the growing epidemic of distracted driving. Statistics show that texting while driving causes a driver’s reaction time to deteriorate by 35% – significantly worse those who consume alcohol at the legal limit, who drive with a 12% deterioration.

The Dangers of Texting on the Road

Texting while driving has eclipsed drunk driving as the number one problem facing American motorists. Researchers agree that we seem to have reached a point where no responsible motorist would drink and drive, but plenty would text behind the wheel, unaware that their actions can be even more dangerous than driving while intoxicated.

A recent study reveals that nearly half of all drivers between ages 18 and 24 admit to texting while driving. Every year, a full 21% of fatal car accidents involving teenagers occur because of cell phone usage, and this percentage is expected to grow by up to 4% every year.

Texting and Truck Accidents

Passenger car drivers are not the only ones endangering their fellow motorists with chronic texting. An analysis by the Transportation Institute of Virginia Tech reveals that truckers who text are 23 times more likely to be involved in a truck accident. The study was conducted with video cameras that were fitted to truck cabs, capturing the drivers’ faces in the brief six-second period leading up to an accident (or a near miss).

Looking away from the road for any length of time over two seconds is considered dangerous, but the cameras showed that truck drivers looked away for an average of 4.6 seconds whenever they sent a text message.

A Conscious Decision

Much like drunk driving, texting while driving is a willful act that endangers other people’s lives. If a texting driver causes an accident, they can be held responsible for negligence. The financial, physical, and emotional losses that car accident victims face can have repercussions for the rest of their lives–all because a driver couldn’t wait to send a text.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a car accident caused by a texting driver, make sure you receive the compensation you deserve. Please contact our experienced car accident lawyers at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. today to schedule a free initial consultation.