Sandusky Distracted Driving Accident Lawyers

Texting-and-Driving Accidents

Distracted drivers have become increasingly problematic in recent years as more and more people get too comfortable with cell phone use behind the wheel. Although, using a smartphone is not the only way a driver can become distracted to the point of causing a car accident.

No matter why a distracted driver crashed into you, if it happened in Sandusky or the surrounding area, you should count on Murray & Murray for legal representation afterward. We have built our law firm to make pursuing full damages like medical costs, lost wages, and vehicle repairs simple. You let us know what happened and we get to work on building and pursuing your claim. Meanwhile, you are afforded the opportunity to try your best to rest and recuperate from your injuries.

We are the first and only law firm in Sandusky you need for distracted driving accident claims. Call our firm at (419) 664-3711 now.

Various Forms of Dangerous Driver Distractions

What are drivers doing regularly to distract themselves while behind the wheel? Understanding the answer and how it applies to your distracted driving accident claim in particular is crucial to make a convincing argument for compensation. Of course, you do not need to worry about those details yourself if you allow our lawyers to represent you from the beginning of your claim.

Some of the most common forms of driver distractions are:

• Texting: Using a smartphone to write, read, or send a text message is easily one of the most dangerous and common forms of distracted driving in Ohio in recent years. Some nationwide surveys from groups like the National Safety Council show that anywhere between 10% and 25% of drivers admit to texting while driving. The percentages are assumed to be falsely low, though, since even anonymous survey participants are hesitant to admit to wrongdoing like texting-and-driving.
• Talking: Driving and talking on the cellphone can be just as dangerous as texting. There is currently no reliable study that shows hands-free devices help reduce distraction dangers. Talking to other passengers can be just as distracting, though. Ideally, drivers will not speak to anyone while behind the wheel.
• Eating: People trying to sneak a meal into their commute before work put themselves and others in serious danger. Even one-handed bites like a power bar pose a dangerous distraction.
• Makeup: While driving to work in the morning, you might have sometimes noticed another motorist putting on makeup while driving. This practice saves very little time but dramatically increases the chances of causing an accident.
• GPS apps: Navigating from place to place used to be dependent on paper maps, which practically could not be used while driving. GPS applications in smartphones and specialized devices can be used more easily, but they are not necessarily safe to use behind the wheel. Drivers should always come to a complete stop before using a GPS device or app.
• Billboards: Advertisements on the side of the road have long been criticized for creating driver distractions. Billboards are designed to catch your attention, so it is clear that they are distracting by design.

Why Texting-and-Driving is Especially Dangerous

As mentioned, texting-and-driving is as common as it is dangerous. Each year, an inordinate number of car accidents occur solely because someone was texting behind the wheel instead of responsibly paying attention to the road. Why is this one particular form of driver distraction so much more dangerous than others, though? The answer appears to lie in the way that it combines three types of distractions into one dangerous activity.

When you text while driving, you are distracted:

• Visually: Any distraction that takes your eyes off the road and mirrors of your vehicle is a visual distraction, such as looking at a text to read it.
• Manually: Any distraction that takes your hands off the steering wheel is a manual distraction, such as picking up a cellphone when a text is received.
• Mentally: Any distraction that takes your mind off driving responsibly is a mental distraction, such as thinking about a text message.

Mental distractions are also believed to last for 30 seconds after their sources are removed. For example, if you read a text message and quickly put your smartphone back down, the visual and manual distractions are no longer a direct issue. However, you will likely still think about the text for another half-minute, which is a mental distraction.

Doing the Legwork So You Don’t Have To

Murray & Murray focuses our practice primarily on personal injury claims of all sorts, including distracting driving accident claims in Sandusky. If you have been hit by a negligent driver who was engaging in some form of distraction behind the wheel, then you should call (419) 664-3711 as soon as possible. Using our decades of total legal experience, we can look into your claim to prove the distraction occurred, increasing their liability in the process.

Let’s begin your claim soon. Fill out an online contact form today.