Distracted Driving: What’s the Big Deal?

If you are wondering why there is such a big deal being made over distracted driving, watch this video for the answer:

[Warning: Graphic Content. The following images/content may be disturbing to some viewers.]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0LCmStIw9E

The number of distracted drivers on the roadway has dramatically increased in the past few years. Whether it is talking on the phone, texting, or fiddling with the GPS device, technology advances have added more distractions for drivers. For this reason, Georgia law prohibits all drivers from texting while they are driving.

You may be wondering, what’s the big deal? I’ve texted while behind the wheel and I was safe. However, what you probably do not realize is that while your eyes were off the road for those few seconds, you could have traveled the length of a football field if you were driving 50-60 miles per hour. If you were going faster, you traveled even further without watching where you were going! Assuming you remained in your own lane, a change in the traffic on the road with you could result in a serious collision that could have otherwise been avoided.

Study after study has shown that it is imperative for a driver to focus on the road while a vehicle is in motion. Cell phones and other devices are not the only forms of distractions. Other seemingly harmless acts such as checking on kids in the backseat can result in fatal auto accidents. Drivers are also distracted when they are eating, changing the radio station, looking at other passengers in the vehicle, putting on makeup and any other activity that takes their attention away from driving safely.

A distraction can be cognitive, visual or manual. When a distraction such as texting is a combination of these three, it is especially hazardous. To send a text you must take your hands off the wheel, your mind is focused on what you are typing, and your eyes are averted from the roadway. Thus, you are manually, cognitively and visually distracted all at the same time.

A distracted driver is considered negligent under Georgia law. If a driving distracted causes an accident, the driver will be held liable for any damages suffered. If you have been in an auto accident, we will thoroughly investigate the cause of the collision, including whether the other driver was distracted. We will help you seek compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and other damages.

Call an experienced personal injury lawyer at Murphy & Garner in Bremen, Georgia. We offer free consultations and dedicated representation based on over 32 years of service to car accident victims in western Georgia and eastern Alabama.

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