Texting and Driving Causes Accidents
Statistics show that 1.3 million people lose their lives in car accidents each year— that means 3,000 people are killed every day as a result of road accidents. Many of these accidents are the result of driver distraction, with texting and driving perhaps one of the most dangerous forms of driver distraction.
Texting and Driving Causes Accidents
Car accidents resulting from texting and driving has become a serious nationwide epidemic. Studies have shown that texting and driving makes it 20 times more likely that an accident will occur. According to the National Safety Council, texting and driving causes an estimated 300,000 to 700,000 car accidents each year.
Sadly, these are not the only concerning statistics about texting and driving injuries. For example, the chances of being involved in a crash for any reason is increased 23 times when a person is texting and driving. Even if the crash is the fault of another driver, the texting party may have been able to avoid the accident if they were not distracted and focused on the road.
Other statistics significant texting and driving statistics:
- Over 330,000 car accidents caused by texting and driving each year result in severe injuries
- 78 percent of distracted drivers are distracted by texting while they are driving
- 1-out-of-4 car accidents in the United States are directly caused drivers who are texting and driving at the same time
- 11 teenagers die every day as a result of texting and driving
Texting and Driving Laws
States have laws in place to keep drivers from being distracted while driving and to keep their focus on the road in front of them. Most of these laws are specific to teenage drivers with some states prohibiting this age group from using any hand held devices during their first six months of driving. Many states even make it against the law for any driver under the age of 17 to use a wireless communication device while driving.
Forty Texas cities have bans against texting and driving. However, the Texas state legislature is still working on getting a statewide anti-texting ban passed.
However, despite these laws, countless drivers of all age groups, disregard the law, and put themselves and others in danger by texting and driving.
An Attorney Can Help
If you were hurt by a distracted driver in Texas, or a loved one was killed in a fatal car crash involving a driver who was texting while driving, you deserve compensation and justice. However, many accident reports aren’t always clear as to if the driver was texting and driving. Proving the at-fault driver was distracted by texting and driving is essential in bringing a successful injury lawsuit.
An experienced Texas personal injury attorney can diligently gather evidence useful in a distracted driving case, such as:
- Cell phone records
- Photographs
- Police reports
- Accident reconstruction
- Witness statements
- Admissions of guilt
- At-fault driver history
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a car accident caused by texting and driving in Texas, contact The Emma Law Firm in the Dallas area for a FREE case evaluation by filling out the form below.