What is distracted driving? Distracted driving involves activities that divert a driver’s attention. Distractions while driving put the driver, his passengers, and everyone else sharing the road, at serious risk of injury. We’ve all seen other drivers going aimlessly down the road while staring at their phones or other devices. Distracted driving causes many automobile crashes each year. We are committed to helping our clients who are hurt by distracted drivers. We are also committed to increasing awareness and education of this problem. Through awareness and education, we can all make our roads safer. Call our knowledgeable motor vehicle crash attorneys today to discuss distracted driving car accidents in Huntsville.
What is Distracted Driving?
Traffic safety experts often classify distractions into three main categories: Manual, Visual and Cognitive.
- Manual distractions are activities where the driver moves his or her hands away from controlling the vehicle. Through the years, we have investigated many personal injury cases where drivers caused automobile accidents while reaching for objects in other areas of their car.
- Visual distractions are activities where the driver focuses his or her eyes away from the road. Many automobile accidents occur because a driver is looking somewhere other than the road.
- Cognitive distractions are activities where the driver’s mind wanders away from the task of driving. These drivers are not mentally focusing and paying attention to the important task of driving their car.
Why is texting so dangerous? Texting is especially dangerous because it involves all three types of distraction at the same time. A person who is texting takes their hands, eyes and mind from the task of driving. What are some major types of distractions faced by drivers each day on our highways?
- Texting
- Eating and drinking
- Using a cellphone
- Turning attention to other passengers
- Grooming
- Reading, often maps
- Using vehicle or personal navigational systems
- Watching a video
- Adjusting the radio
- Attending or disciplining children passengers
Knowledgeable attorneys could explain how these crashes occur in further detail during a consultation and determine if a texting driver was responsible for a collision.
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Dangers of Distracted Driving
While keeping a focus on the roadway may sound like obvious advice, it is too often ignored. Drivers are presented with many activities and devices that can create dangerous risks of distraction.
Texting is a perfect example of how activities can dangerously divert a driver’s attention from the road. Some studies indicate a person’s eyes are diverted from the roadway an average of five seconds at a time while texting. If a driver is traveling at 55 miles per hour and diverts his or her eyes from the road for five seconds, their vehicle will have traveled more than the length of an entire football field. Imagine traveling a distance greater than a football field in a vehicle while blindfolded.
Research from 2011 by the U.S. Department of Transportation revealed startling information about the toll of distracted driving on our highways. According to this research:
- Ten percent of fatal crashes in 2011 were reported as distraction affected crashes.
- An estimated 387,000 people suffered personal injury in automobile accidents due to distracted drivers in 2011.
- An estimated 3,331 people were killed in crashes related to distracted driving in 2011.
The true numbers are likely much higher. Distracted driving plays an unreported role in many car crashes.
The current numbers have also likely increased. While Alabama and other states have enacted laws related to texting while driving, the distractions on our roadways have greatly increased. Portable electronics now allow us easily to watch videos, communicate, view the internet and perform many other tasks all while in our automobiles.
Jeff is incredibly thorough, hardworking and honest. Patricia was so helpful throughout the process answering questions promptly and making me feel at ease. I highly recommend the Blackwell Law Firm!
Response from the owner:Thank you for the great recommendation, Rob! We truly value your support and are thrilled that you had a smooth process with us.
I highly recommend Blackwell Law Firm. Jeff and his staff are friendly and very professional. My mom and I are very grateful for everything.
Thank you!! 🙂
Response from the owner:We are so happy we could help your mother after her injury. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with you and your mother's doctors to build the best case for her. We are here if you ever need anything! Thank you so much!
The case took years as most cases do, but Patricia was always trying to give updates. And if I had any questions she would always find out the answers, and go into great detail to explain each process and steps that were being taken. Jeff and his team will work their hearts out for you. I highly recommend them for your work comp suits.
Response from the owner:Thank you for the review! When you suffer a serious injury or disability at work, you deserve full work comp benefits. We know how unfair the system can be. That's why we work as hard as possible to recover the maximum benefits available. We want to win everything we can for our clients. We also want you to have the answers you need during each step of the process. I'm so happy we could help!
Excellent service, Danielle and Patricia are awesome. They get back to you fast and answer all your questions. Friendly team. Jeff cares about his clients. Would highly recommend..
Response from the owner:Kathy, thank you so much! We are so happy we could help with your case. We understand injuries and medical care are difficult issues. Our entire team is centered on providing answers, advice and advocacy to help and to obtain the best possible result for you. We focus exclusively on injury cases so we can provide the best possible help. Yes, Patricia and Danielle are great!
If you're wondering whether you need a personal injury lawyer—or you're just unsure who you want in your corner—give Jeff and his team, Danielle and Patricia, a call. They don’t treat you like just another client; they treat you like family.
They respond promptly to questions, often even after hours. The guidance and peace of mind they provide are incredible and virtually unheard of these days.
Response from the owner:Thank you for such a thoughtful review! At Blackwell Law Firm in Huntsville, our goal is to provide every client with personal attention, real answers, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing we are working hard in your corner! Danielle, Patricia, and I, are all grateful for the trust your wife Dawn and you placed in us. We focus on one thing -- Working hard for families across northern Alabama in personal injury, car accident, and work injury cases. We are so glad we could help!
I can't say enough good things about the people here. From the very beginning from the first phone call with Jeff they have gone to bat for me in everyway. And to Patricia and Danielle, thank you for all you've done. From listening to me cry to putting up with me ranting. And I can't say enough about their empathy. I can never thank them enough.<3
Response from the owner:We are so happy we could help with your case. We loved working with you! We know how stressful things can be following a serious injury. Our whole team is dedicated to helping build the best possible injury case for you. That's all we do. If you ever need anything, you know we are here for you. Thank you so much, Dawn.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much. Danielle and Patricia worked hard to help with your case. If we can ever help with anything else, give us a call.
Best lawyer I can ever work with
Blackwell law firm
Response from the owner:We are so glad we could help. Thank you so much for the kind words! If you ever need anything, let us know.
Seek Assistance from a Huntsville Attorney to Discuss Distracted Driving Accidents
Distracted driving car accidents in Huntsville are a major safety risk on our roads. The Blackwell Law Firm is committed to helping people who have suffered serious injury from automobile accidents. The firm frequently represents people who have suffered spinal injuries, ruptured disks, traumatic brain injuries, fractures, paralysis and other severe injuries caused by the negligence or careless acts of other drivers.
If you or a family member has suffered an accident, we would be happy to answer your questions. Please feel free to call. Case consultations are always free.
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