Distracted Driving Car Accidents

A distraction while driving can be deadly. Consider over 3,000 lives were lost in distracted driving accidents in the U.S., in 2015 alone. It’s tempting to keep in constant communication with friends, family, and work, as cell phones and texting allows us to do. But constantly keeping in contact with our cell phones, even while driving, can have serious, even deadly, implications if it causes a car crash. Warwick is home to multitudes of residents and businesses, including the bustling Green Airport off I-95. Along with all these vehicles on the road, come distracted drivers just waiting to cause an auto accident. As personal injury lawyers, Tapalian Law knows how quickly, and unexpectedly, a car accident can take place. Sending or reading a text takes about 5 seconds, which equates to driving the length of a football field at 55mph with your eyes closed.

Rhode Island has taken a firm stand against distracted driving. Distracted driving laws went into effect in 2011 thereby making it illegal to send, read, or compose text messages while driving. In 2018, it will be illegal in Rhode Island to hold a cell phone to your ear while driving. Violations of these laws may result in fines. If, however, another driver, passenger, pedestrian, or bicyclist, on the road is injured due to a distracted driver, the victim may retain an auto accident injury attorney to file a personal injury claim against the vehicle operator to seek compensation for their injuries and other damages. Distracted driving isn’t just limited to texting and talking on a cell phone. It can also take the form of using a GPS, eating, drinking, reading a map, applying makeup, turning to talk to a passenger in the car, or another distraction that takes the drivers full attention away from their responsibility to stay safe on the road.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 391,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2015 due to distracted driving in the U.S. If you, or a loved one, have been hurt in a car crash, with the help of an experienced distracted driving car accident attorney like David Tapalian, you may be eligible to file a claim against the driver at fault in your Warwick distracted driving accident. We understand how daunting, and unpredictable, a vehicle accident can be. If another motorist causes you, or a loved one, harm and it can be proven it was due to negligence, such as texting while driving, using a GPS, or changing the radio station, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit. The first step to filing a personal injury claim will be proving fault. You must be able to show that the driver of the other car failed to operate their vehicle in a safe manner, thereby breaching their duty of care. As drivers, we are responsible for driving with a duty of care, meaning that the motorist operates their vehicle by following traffic laws and driving as a reasonable person would in a similar situation to not cause harm to others. If one breaches this duty by distracted driving thus causing harm to another, the injured may be eligible to collect damages. Once fault is proven, the injured will need to show proof that their injuries occurred due to the crash and would not have occurred if the crash hadn’t happened. Your Warwick car accident attorney will assist you in providing proof of damages including doctor’s bills, medical expenses, lost wages, and future medical care required. The skilled distracted driving accident lawyers at Tapalian Law will assist you throughout the duration of your personal injury case. Don’t hesitate to call us today to see what we can do for you, contact us at 401-552-5000 or email us to set up a consultation at no charge.