Distracted Driving

Drivers Still Using Phones Despite Knowing the Dangers – St. Louis Attorneys

June 27, 2017 By Christopher

No text message is so important that you should risk your life to read it.

We all know that using a mobile phone while driving is distracting, and we also know that distracted driving is very dangerous. So why do so many drivers insist on using their phones while they drive? In this post, our St. Louis whiplash lawyer will discuss the results of a study that highlights this problem.

A recent survey by State Farm shows that 91% of drivers own a smartphone and over half of these drivers use their phone while they are driving. In 2015, 3,477 people died due to distracted driving and 391,000 were injured.

Not surprisingly, the survey concludes that those drivers who use their phone while driving are more likely to have an accident when compared to those who don’t use a phone in the car.

It seems people just don’t care, even when we know the dangers. While driving, people use their phones in a variety of ways. They take video, take photos, send text messages and browse the Internet, as well as make and receive calls. Of the 26% of drivers that use the Internet while driving, a massive 96% of them stated that they thought it was a distraction and 77% believed it made them more likely to have a crash.

Another interesting fact was revealed by the survey. It seems that the more apps drivers use on their phone, the higher the likelihood that they would also risk crashing by other means such as not using a seat belt, racing, driving while tired or driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

While the drivers admit that it is dangerous, the most common reason given for using a mobile phone while driving is that they need to keep in touch.

Mobile phone usage when driving and the law

While most of us know that mobile phone usage is a distraction when we are driving, many of us are simply not aware of the laws regarding mobile phone usage in their state. State Farm suggests that awareness of these laws is really important as the study showed that when drivers knew it was actually illegal to use their mobile phone when driving, they were far less likely to actually use it. Fear of legal repercussions, such as losing their license or getting a fine is the 2nd most common reason given for never using a mobile phone when driving. The most common reason stated was simply that it is not safe.

Don’t text and drive

There is no text message so important, and nothing you need to Google that is worth risking your life for. Many people die each year simply because they performed one of these trivial tasks. If you are having trouble, turn your phone off while driving and you won’t be tempted to use it. If you really do need to take a call, find a safe place to pull over and call the person back. This action really could save your life, and those of your passengers or other drivers on the road.

If you have been injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver, contact a competent St. Louis car accident lawyer to learn more about your legal rights. Call (314) 361-4242 today for a free case evaluation.

Distracted Driving Car Accident Lawyer St. Louis

September 29, 2016 By Christopher

Cognitive distraction can be as dangerous as any other type of distraction, and can lead to serious accidents.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), distracted driving is driving while doing another activity that takes your attention away from the primary task… driving. Distracted driving can take three primary forms:

Manual distraction: taking your hands off the steering wheel
Visual distraction: taking your eyes off the road
Cognitive distraction: taking your mind off of driving

Of these three types of distractions, cognitive distraction quite possibly gets the least amount of attention. Whenever there is a mention of distracted driving, we often think of manual or visual distraction. However, the reality is that any distraction is dangerous and can lead to serious accidents.

Why cognitive distraction is dangerous

Cognitive distraction can be defined as any form of distraction that affects a person’s mental processing. It occurs when the driver’s mind wanders. This can happen when:

reading a map kept on one’s lap, looking at directions
changing the radio station
looking at something or someone by the roadside
dealing with children in the back seat
voice controlled texting
being deep in thought
being stressed out about work or reaching a destination in time

Each of these types of distractions can cause a driver to lose focus, and this can result in a physical change in the driver’s behavior. This, in turn, increases the risk of an accident. For example, if the driver is thinking deeply about something that happened at home or at the office, they are less likely to identify and properly respond to any risks or dangerous conditions encountered on the roadway.

Cognitive distractions occur when you are trying to multitask. The struggle to juggle tasks reduces the ability of the driver to perform each of the tasks properly. For example, when you are typing a text message using voice command, your attention is diverted into forming words and sentences, vocalizing them, and possibly checking the screen to see if everything is being typed correctly. This creates a major distraction, and takes your attention off the road even if it is for a second. This subdivided attention, renders the driver impaired.

Have you been injured in a distracted driving accident?

Distracted driving accidents are often serious and even fatal, because the driver often fails to recognize the dangers and respond to them appropriately. Distracted drivers often make grave mistakes and lead to accidents that cause serious injuries to all involved.

If you have been injured by a distracted driver, get in touch with an experienced St. Louis car accident lawyer at The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. to get help with your claim. We can evaluate your case free of charge and help you determine the best way to proceed with your accident claim.

Call (314) 361-4242 today for a free case evaluation.

Texting Isn’t the Only Distraction

June 3, 2016 By Christopher

Study shows distracted driving involving smartphones includes more than just texting.

A lot has been said about the dangers of distracted driving. In spite of all the driver education and awareness campaigns, distracted driving is till claiming lives on American roads each day. There is research to prove that even a few seconds of distraction is enough to put lives in danger, however, many drivers still do not abstain from reading and writing text messages. However, texting is not the only distraction that leads to crashes. In this post, our St. Louis automobile crash lawyer will discuss the other distractions that pose danger to drivers.

We all are well aware of the consequences of texting and driving. In 2015, 861 traffic related deaths were reported in Missouri. Of these, around 100 involved the use of cell phones. Missouri law prohibit anyone under the age of 21 from texting and driving. Although the dangers of texting and driving are well known, many teenagers’ habits have now evolved into something even more dangerous. They now using social media while driving. Research shows that the smartphone usage slows down the driver’s distraction time by over 38 percent. Alcohol on the other hand, typically slows the reaction time by 12 percent.

A study by AT&T has revealed that over 40 percent of drivers use social media while driving. Drivers do not just text while driving, they also update statuses, post to Instagram, and send Snapchats. According to distraction.gov, at any given time there are over 660,000 drivers using their cell phone while driving. This is a startling number given the risks involved, and the potential there is for an accident resulting from this action.

There was a recent case involving a 30 year old man who got killed in a collision caused by a distracted driver. The at-fault driver was had been taking a Snapchat video right before the crash occurred. Snapchat has a feature that allows the users to take a video and then the app automatically posts how fast the user is traveling.

The AT&T study also revealed some other statistics. According to research, the various smartphone activities that drivers engage in while driving include:

Texting (61 percent)
Email (33 percent)
Surfing the web (28 percent)
Facebook (27 percent)
Instagram (14 percent)
Snapchat (11 percent)

The study also found out that:

60 percent of the drivers keep their cellphone within easy reach when driving
22 percent of those who access social network while driving blame it on addiction
30 percent of those who post to twitter while driving do it all the time
27 percent of those who shoot videos while driving think they can do so safely

Distracted driving is a problem that can only be countered with collective effort. It is important for all drivers to pledge not to use their smartphones or engage in other distractions while driving.

St. Louis Automobile Crash Attorneys

If you or someone close to you has been injured in a car accident caused by a distracted or negligent driver, you should speak with an experienced St. Louis automobile crash lawyer to ensure your legal right to compensation is protected. Contact our attorneys 24/7 at (314) 361-4242 to schedule a free case evaluation. We want to help!

3 Types of Distracted Driving

July 13, 2015 By Christopher

Distracted driving has been an issue on Missouri roadways for decades, long before smartphones became popular.

With the rise in the popularity of smartphones and text messaging, distracted driving car accidents are often talked about in the news. Yet distracted driving has been an issue on Missouri roadways for decades, long before we ever imagined having a phone that was so smart. If you have been hurt in a car crash because the other driver was simply not paying attention, a St. Louis car accident attorney can help you build a case for distracted driving.

Forms of Distracted Driving

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving is defined as anything that diverts a driver’s attention away from navigating his or her vehicle and responding to a critical event. There are three different types of distracted driving:

Visual distraction – The driver’s eyes are taken off of the road.
Cognitive distraction – The driver’s attention is not on the road.
Manual distraction – The hands of the driver are not on the wheel of the vehicle while it is in motion.

If you think about distractions such as text messaging while driving, this involves all three of the defined forms. Most significant distractions do involve more than just one of the categories listed above. Experts look at the distraction safety problem from two different vantages. One is the actual amount of attention demanded by the task and the other is with the frequency it is performed. Again, text messaging is most dangerous, as it involves all of the types of distractions and is typically engaged in multiple times in order to finish a conversation.

The Cause of a Distracted Driver Car Accident

Text messaging has become one of the leading causes of distracted driving accidents in Missouri and across the nation, but it is certainly not the only one. Electronic devices in general are on the rise as well, giving a driver ample gadgets to divert their attention while they should be focused on the road. GPS systems, iPods, and even the basic car stereo are still causing drivers to take their eyes off of the road, potentially leading to a car accident.

How a St. Louis Car Accident Attorney Can Help

An accident investigation at the scene is not always enough to pinpoint the cause. A St. Louis automobile accident attorney can conduct their own private investigation into an accident, often uncovering information not found in the police report. Proof that the other driver was fiddling with a device while driving will help strengthen your car accident claim.

Distracted driving car accidents have been steadily rising over the last ten years, as we are becoming more reliant on our electronic devices during the day. In order to avoid being hurt or causing harm to another, it is best to put electronic devices to the side or set them on auto pilot whenever you are behind the wheel.

Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer St Louis

If you have been injured in a distracted driver car crash, speak with a St. Louis auto accident attorney from The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. as soon as possible. We can assist you in proving the cause of the accident and receiving compensation for your injuries and other financial damages. Call us at (314) 361-4242 for a free consultation.