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Texting While Driving Accidents Continue To Rise

On Behalf of | Jan 30, 2017 | Uncategorized |

Texting while driving is one of those bad habits that everyone knows is the wrong choice – but sometimes it’s hard for people to control themselves and avoid picking up their phone while they are behind the wheel. Young teen drivers, in particular, often text while they drive. This habit, coupled with their inexperience on the roadways, can lead to disaster.

One way to teach the lesson

Recently, according to an article published in the Washington Post, one high school took a lesson about the dangers of texting while driving to the extreme. The student council members partnered with the principal and teachers at their Wisconsin high school in order to provide their classmates with a seemingly real-life experience that would show them just how devastating one quick text message behind the wheel can be.

During the morning announcements, the students in the school were informed that several classmates had died in a car accident that was caused by texting while driving. Understandably, the announcement devastated the students, and shed light on the seriousness of the matter. Luckily, though, the student council was pretending. This time, their classmates were still alive, but that’s not the case for all high school students across the country.

It’s critical that people of all ages – not just teenagers – understand the hazards of texting while driving. Some of the greatest risks of texting while driving include:

  • Driving improperly and receiving a traffic ticket – Distracted drivers may think that they are only taking their eyes off of the road for a quick second, but they are actually traveling great distances in a very short period of time. During this time, they may begin to speed, swerve into another lane or drive through a traffic signal. Those who text while they are driving are far more likely to be pulled over by law enforcement officers and receive a ticket, which can come with expensive fines as well as additional consequences.
  • Causing an accident that results in one or more injuries – Those who are texting while driving are paying more attention to what they are going to say in their text and finding the right emoji than they are to the road ahead of them. These poor decisions often lead to car accidents, in which one or more person involved may be injured. These injures can range from minor to severe, and can impact the injured individual in many different ways.
  • Causing an accident that results in one or more fatalities – As a result of being distracted by the text message conversations, drivers are often prone to speeding, swerving or driving through intersections without noticing the traffic signals. A person who texts while they are driving may find themselves involved in an accident in which the passenger in their vehicle is killed, in which a person involved in the other vehicle or vehicles is killed, or in which they are killed themselves. It’s a seemingly insignificant decision to text while driving, but the consequences are permanent.

Not just a traffic violation, but subject to civil lawsuits for damages

A driver who is texting while operating their vehicle is considered to be negligent. This means that if you or someone that you love is injured or killed in a motor vehicle accident that was caused by distracted driving, you may be eligible to receive compensation for the damages you incur as a result of the accident.

Working with a qualified Minnesota personal injury attorney will ensure that you receive the maximum amount of compensation possible. An experienced attorney can provide you with detailed information about Minnesota driving laws and also help you collect the evidence necessary to prove your case in the court system.

Many people do not realize that compensation can cover health care costs, income loss and quality of life expenses that occur as a result of the accident. By partnering with the right attorney, you can ensure that you receive the compensation you need in order to move forward from this tragic event.

To find out more information about distracted driving laws in Minnesota and the hazards associated with texting while driving, contact our personal injury law firm today.