Although motorists are aware that texting and driving is dangerous, these types of distracted driving accidents happen all too often. At Moore Law Firm, our personal injury attorneys understand that the fallout from a texting and driving accident in Alabama can be physically, emotionally, and financially devastating. If you’ve been hurt in a texting and driving accident, we’re dedicated to fighting for your rights and helping you recover the maximum compensation you deserve.
What is Distracted Driving?
Distracted driving is a serious problem that kills thousands of people each year. According to the CDC, There are three major types of distraction that can occur while you’re behind the wheel, including:
- Visual distraction, which involves averting your eyes from the road
- Manual distraction, when you remove your hands off the wheel, and
- Cognitive distraction, which takes your attention off driving
Texting and driving is particularly problematic, as it involves all three types of distractions. In a matter of seconds, texting and driving can result in serious car accidents that cause catastrophic injuries and fatalities. Reading or sending a text message takes your eyes away from the road for approximately five seconds – if you’re driving at 55 mph, you can cover the length of a football field in this short period of time.
Texting and Driving Statistics
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), motorists using cell phones while driving cause 1.6 million crashes each year. Drive Safe Alabama reports that a texting driver is 23 times more likely to be involved in a car crash than a non-texting driver. Drivers who text while operating a vehicle are also more likely to cause crashes than those driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Teens and Texting While Driving
Young people are most susceptible to the dangers of texting and driving accidents. According to a survey conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, more than 50% of teen drivers said they used a mobile phone and more than 25% admitted typing or sending a text while driving. If you’re a parent, talking with your teen about the risks of texting and driving accidents and setting a good example behind the wheel is critical in helping them develop safe, responsible driving habits.
Alabama Distracted Driving Law
I Alabama, drivers are prohibited from physically holding any wireless telecommunications device or stand-alone electronic device while operating a vehicle. This includes texting, watching videos, recording videos, or engaging in any form of manual interaction with these devices. While hands-free usage of devices is permitted, it’s vital to remain attentive and minimize distractions to stay safe on the road.
Although there is no federal law that bans texting while driving, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) prohibits commercial drivers from texting and using handheld devices while driving, except in emergencies. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a truck accident and you believe the driver was texting while driving, we can evaluate your case and investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Types of Texting and Driving Accidents and Injuries
Rear-end collisions and sideswipe crashes are two of the most common types of texting and driving accidents. Other types of texting and driving accidents include:
- Head-on collisions
- Side impact (T-bone) collisions
- Single-car accidents, such as crashing into a telephone pole
- Crashes involving pedestriansand bicyclists
Even at lower speeds, these types of accidents can cause neck, back, and spinal injuries such as whiplash or herniated discs. When they occur at high speeds, texting, and driving accidents can be fatal. They can also lead to serious injuries such as broken or crushed bones, traumatic brain injury, amputation, disfigurement, paralysis, and other catastrophic injuries.
Proving Fault In Texting And Driving Accidents
Even if you suspect that the motorist who caused your injuries was texting and driving, it can be challenging to prove. Our distracted driving attorneys know what type of evidence to collect to determine fault and prove that a motorist was distracted by texting when a crash occurred.
We conduct a thorough investigation and put all of the pieces of the puzzle together to demonstrate how a texting and driving accident happened. Some valuable types of evidence that can show that a driver was texting or using their phone include:
- Police or accident reports in which a driver admits to texting or using a device while driving
- Phone records that show a text message was sent or received at the time of the collision
- Other cell phone data that shows what the device/driver was doing before, after, and at the time of the accident
- Information from a vehicle’s event data recorder (EDR)
- Footage from traffic and security cameras
- Witnesses who saw the driver texting, holding, or looking at a phone while driving, or heard them admit they were texting and driving
Typically, cell phone records offer the strongest evidence that a driver was texting while driving. Your texting and driving accident lawyer can take care of getting a subpoena or court order to obtain phone records and forensic downloads of the phone’s data.
Why You Need a Texting and Driving Accident Attorney
Proving any personal injury claim can be challenging to do on your own. Insurance companies are not looking out for your best interests, and often try to offer minimal settlements or attempt to deny valid claims. In Alabama, if you are found to be even 1% at fault for an accident, you may not receive any compensation at all, so insurers do everything in their power to deflect blame onto you instead of their insured.
Our texting and driving accident lawyers are familiar with their tactics and fight to help you get the compensation you need to protect your health and financial security. We can help you pursue damages such as:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Past and future lost income
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of companionship or consortium
- Wrongful death
Our legal team has a track record of success when it comes to going up against insurance companies and winning. Since 1985, we’ve represented more than 15,000 personal injury victims in Alabama. Our texting and driving accident attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, which means you won’t incur up-front costs or pay attorneys’ fees unless we successfully recover compensation for you.
Contact Our Texting and Driving Accident Attorneys in Mobile, AL
At Moore Law Firm, we fight for your rights, protect your interests, and provide top-notch legal representation you can trust. If you’ve been hurt or have lost a family member in a texting and driving accident, we can help. Contact us, call us at 251-445-7602, or use the convenient chat feature on our website to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with a texting and driving accident lawyer in Mobile, AL today.