Imagine driving toward home. You’re leaving after a long day of work, and you just want to get home to have some dinner and spend time relaxing.
As you approached a busy intersection, you looked into your rear-view mirror and noticed that the driver behind you seemed to be approaching quickly. You had a red light, so you couldn’t move forward. Moments later, the vehicle hit you from behind.
After getting out of your vehicle and calling 911, you went to check on the other driver. They had a head injury, but what was very obvious is that they’d been on their phone. The screen was still open, and the phone was on the driver’s side floor.
Distractions from cellphones and texting are a problem. When a driver is texting, they’re taking their mind off the road, their eyes away from what’s in front of them and their hands off the wheel. A driver might look up and see a green light, look down for two or three seconds to text and then suddenly find themselves hitting the rear of a vehicle stopped at a red light. In just a few seconds, life can change for everyone involved in the crash.
Texting creates one of the most dangerous forms of distracted driving
Texting and driving is known to be one of the most dangerous kinds of distracted driving because people who text tend to take their eyes off the road for an average of five seconds. Despite the fact that people know that texting and driving is dangerous, it’s believed that around 660,000 drivers are still using electronic devices when they are driving each day.
With so many distractions, it’s not surprising that injuries and fatalities happen on the roads. In worst-case scenarios, people can be killed in these collisions.
Texting and driving is illegal in Florida
Since July 1, a new law allowing law enforcement officers to pull over drivers who are texting and driving has been in place. Florida is among the last of the states to create this kind of law, but it did as a response to nearly 50,000 accidents and 233 deaths related to distracted driving in 2016. Until January 1, 2020, there is an educational period where drivers will receive warnings for violations.
If you are hit by someone who was texting, you can pursue a claim. Their distraction is what caused your injuries, so they should be held accountable.
