Dayton Distracted Driving Accident
Getting into a car collision can change your life. You could incur high medical bills, and your injuries could compromise your way of living. If you were injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver, you might also be angry.
Distracted driving is incredibly common, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA). Distracted driving can be considered a form of negligence, so if the other driver was texting and driving, messing with their car stereo, or lost in a daydream, they could be liable for your losses after the crash.
Our Dayton personal injury attorneys can investigate to determine whether the driver who hit you was distracted at the time of the accident and help you recover maximum compensation for losses.
Distracted Driving Laws in Ohio
According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, holding an electronic device, including a cellphone or tablet, in your hand (or lap or any other part of your body) while operating a vehicle is illegal. Police can pull you over and issue a citation for violating that law.
However, if your car and cell phone have hands-free capability and you’re over 18, you may receive or make phone calls while driving using the hands-free mode. Using any of these devices counts as hands-free use:
- An earpiece
- Using speakerphone
- Using an electronic watch
- Using a wireless headset
- Connecting your phone to the vehicle and operating it using the vehicle controls
In general, if you’re doing more than a single touch or swipe, then you’re probably violating Ohio’s distracted driving laws.
Examples of Distracted Driving
Texting and driving is one of the most common causes and well-known types of distracted driving, thanks to multi-year advertising campaigns warning about the dangers. However, it’s not the only form of distraction behind the wheel.
According to the U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, there are three forms of distracted driving:
- Manual, which is removing your hands from the wheel
- Visual, which is taking your eyes off the road and traffic flow
- Cognitive, which is taking your mind off driving or not paying attention to what’s going around you
Using your smartphone or other electronic device is a deadly combination of all three types of distracted driving. You’re holding the phone, looking at the screen and reading it, thinking about what you’re reading or the picture you’re looking at, and thinking about how to respond.
But there are other ways to be distracted behind the wheel, including:
- Eating or drinking
- Putting on make-up or shaving
- Programming a GPS
- Having a conversation with passengers
- Thinking about an important work or personal matter
Teens and Distracted Driving Accidents
The CDC notes that in a recent year, young adults and teens (people aged 15 to 20) are in one of the highest risk groups for distracted driving accidents:
- In fatal car accidents involving distracted drivers, 9 percent of them were younger drivers who were distracted at the time of the wreck
- More drivers in this age bracket were distracted than those 21 and older
- Nearly 40 percent of high school drivers sent a text message or email while driving in the last 30 days
- Students who texted and drove were as likely to be A or B students as they were C, D, or F students
Students who admitted to texting and driving were also more likely to engage in other risky behaviors, like not wearing a seat belt, drinking and driving, or getting in the car with an intoxicated driver.
Contact our Dayton Car Accident Attorneys for Help
Have you suffered injuries in an accident caused by a distracted driver? Do you need help demanding full and fair compensation for your lost wages and medical care? We can help accident victims hold the at-fault driver accountable. Contact us for a free consultation with an experienced Dayton car accident lawyer from Amourgis & Associates, Attorneys at Law.
