Every day, millions of drivers choose to complete other tasks or turn their attention elsewhere while operating a motor vehicle while. In today’s always-connected world, there are more opportunities for driving distractions than ever.
All too often, distracted driving leads to collisions that result in serious injury or death. While the insurance company for the driver at fault may offer you a settlement, the compensation these profit-driven companies initially offer is often not enough to cover all of your losses. You need to fight for what you truly deserve, and we are here to stand up for you.
The Demas Law Group is committed to holding distracted drivers responsible for the injuries they cause and seeking the recovery that you deserve so that you don’t have to put your future on hold.
Contact our Sacramento car accident lawyers now for a free consultation about your legal options.
What Is Distracted Driving in Sacramento, CA?
Drivers who become distracted and fail to pay attention to the road can travel several hundred feet in the seconds that their eyes or mind are off the road, which can lead to collisions with other cars or pedestrians. Not only does a distracted driver put themselves at risk of serious injury or death, but also other motorists and pedestrians.
A distracted driver’s reaction time is decreased, and there is a dangerous opportunity of missing important road signs or warnings. Even failing to pay attention at an intersection or a red light has resulted in accidents that cause serious injuries, such as broken bones, head trauma, burns, and whiplash.
Common Types of Accidents Caused by Distracted Driving in Sacramento
Distracted driving happens whenever a driver takes their focus off the road. While it is common to think of distracted driving as using a cell phone to make a call or send a text while operating a vehicle, it is actually defined as any activity that takes a driver’s attention from the road.
Some of the most common causes of distracted driving accidents include:
- Texting or talking on a cell phone, even a hands-free device
- Engaging with other passengers or people outside of the car
- Eating or drinking
- Fiddling with the radio, MP3 player, or CD player
- Adjusting maps or using a GPS
- Combing hair, shaving, applying makeup, and other grooming activities
What Are California’s Texting and Driving Laws?
California law
prohibits the use of a cell phone to read or write and send text messages while operating a vehicle on a public road. Violation of the law may result in a citation and a base fine of $20 for the first offense. A subsequent offense will result in a base fine of $50, with amounts increasing with additional violations.
Hands-free text-to-talk or calling is permitted for drivers over the age of 18, as long as a Bluetooth device doesn’t cover both ears. However, this has still proven to be a distraction to drivers, decreasing their reaction times, and diminishing the mental alertness that is required for driving.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it is estimated that 481,000 drivers are operating their vehicles while using a cell phone at any particular moment during daylight hours alone. In a single recent year, distracted driving resulted in the deaths of 3,450 people and many, many more serious injuries that did not result in death.
Texting and driving is easily one of the most dangerous forms of distracted driving. Sending or reading a text that takes a driver’s eyes off the road for five seconds, while traveling at 55 mph, is equivalent to driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.
Texting while driving not only takes a driver’s eyes of the road, it also decreases the cognitive function needed to operate a vehicle and requires a driver to remove his or her hand from the steering wheel, reducing their control over the vehicle.
Liability for Accidents Caused by Distracted Driving in Sacramento
Not only can distracted driving result in citations and fines, but it can also lead to accidents that may result in serious injury or death to the victim. A driver who decides to focus on anything other than driving may be found to have acted in a negligently, making them liable for the injuries or deaths caused as the result of a car accident, provided that the victim or survivors of the victim can prove the distracted driver was at fault.
Showing fault on the part of a distracted driver may be difficult without the help of an attorney. An experienced attorney can investigate the accident and acquire witness reports and phone records, while also using medical bills, expense receipts, and evidence of lost wages to help the victim of a distracted driving collision pursue the compensation they deserve for the resulting injuries.
How Can Sacramento Distracted Driving Accident Attorneys Demas Law Group Help You?
When someone hits you while they were texting and driving, talking on the phone, fiddling with the radio, doing their makeup, or something else, they were distracted driving.
Being the victim of a distracted driving accident is a burden that you shouldn’t have to bear alone. Protecting your legal right to recovery and seeking the compensation you are entitled is the top priority for Demas Law Group. We understand that your life can be changed drastically due to an accident-related injury.
With a 99 percent success rate in obtaining verdicts and settlements for our clients and more than 25 years of experience, our compassionate litigators understand the importance of pursuing a personal injury claim immediately to hold wrongdoers accountable so that you may get back to your normal life.
Demas Law Group, P.C. – Personal Injury Lawyer
Our “no win, no fee” guarantee ensures that you will owe nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
If a distracted driver hits you or a loved one in the Sacramento area, you may be entitled to compensation. Call the personal injury lawyers at the Demas Law Group today or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
