Distracted driving causes car accidents
Thousands of people die every year in distracted driving accidents. Hundreds of thousands are injured. This is a growing problem in Michigan which is only getting worse. If you are texting while driving you are three times as likely to get into an auto accident as when you have put the phone away.
Distracted Driving can very easily lead to serious motor vehicle accidents. During the average 5 seconds it takes to send a text, a driver on the highway can cross an entire football field. While 5 seconds doesn’t seem very long, a car making a quick lane change or a sudden backup could make the difference between life and death.
Younger drivers are at particularly high risk for distracted driving accidents. Nearly half of all teens with cell phones admit to texting while driving. One-third call texting while driving easy. Even so, one in ten crashes involving drivers under age 20 involved a cell phone.
Because the drivers in these accidents are distracted, they are often higher speed impacts than other accidents on the same roadways. The higher the speed, the more likely a car crash will result in serious injuries. So distracted driving accidents are especially likely to result in death or disability.
How an Ann Arbor Distracted Driving Lawyer Can Help
The Ann Arbor distracted driving attorneys at Christensen Law know how to handle these difficult cases. They help the victims of distracted driving accidents get benefits from their Michigan no-fault insurance provider and establish a case against the distracted driver. They can often use cell phone records to show that the driver was distracted at the time of the accident.
The Importance of a Third-Party Lawsuit in a Distracted Driving Case
If you have been seriously disabled, the ability to prove another driver is at fault can be the difference between a few years of coverage and a comfortable recovery. While your Michigan No-Fault insurance will cover all of your medical expenses, wage loss is limited to three years under the statute. If you have suffered a permanent disability because a motorist was texting, you will need far more than that to survive. That is why your Third Party lawsuit against the distracted driver is so important. It can help you cover your living expenses, lost wages, and other non-economic damages that you suffer because of the accident.
But the best way to stop distracted driving accidents isn’t a lawsuit. Texting while driving is illegal in Michigan, but most people still do it. The best way to stop distracted driving from affecting our state’s younger drivers is for passengers to speak up. Half of all adults have been a passenger while someone was driving distracted. By speaking up and offering to respond for them or suggesting a text can wait, you could personally avoid an Ann Arbor car accident.
If you are ready to take the next step, you can also take a pledge to never text and drive, and even download an app that disables your phone while you are behind the wheel. Committing to putting the phone away and avoiding distracted driving could save lives, including your own.
Call an Ann Arbor Distracted Driving Crash Attorney
No one should be injured because another driver was texting while driving, but it happens all the time. If you believe a distracted driver harmed you, you deserve justice. Filing and winning an injury claim is a challenging endeavor you likely won’t want to attempt on your own. You can get help with your case by calling Christensen Law.
To reach an Ann Arbor distracted driving accident lawyer, call us today or enter your contact information into the form below. Our firm offers a free claim assessment, so you have nothing to lose by getting in touch.
