Distracted driving happens whenever a driver’s attention moves away from operating their vehicle safely. Distractions usually fall into three categories: visual, which takes your eyes off the road; manual, which means your hands leave the wheel; and cognitive, when your mind is focused on something other than driving.
Contact a car accident attorney in St. Louis to get the justice you deserve.
Call (314) 300-6260 today.
Common Examples of Distracted Driving
Some of the most common distractions include texting, checking or talking on a cellphone, setting up GPS or navigation apps, eating food, drinking beverages, or something as simple as reaching to adjust heating, air conditioning, or the stereo. Even brief tasks take focus away from driving, sometimes at exactly the wrong time.
How Can You Prove Distracted Driving?
Proving that another driver was distracted at the time of a crash is not always easy, but there are several types of evidence that can support your claim.
Evidence From Cellphone Records
Text message and call logs, along with records of when and how apps were used, can reveal if someone was focused on their phone instead of driving. The timing, like whether it was used right before or at the moment of the crash, is especially important.
Witness Statements and Surveillance Footage
Bystanders sometimes see drivers looking at their phones, eating, or behaving in ways that show they were distracted. In addition, videos from nearby surveillance cameras, intersection cameras, or dashcams may directly capture the risky behavior as it happens.
Police Reports and Accident Investigations
Law enforcement officers are trained to look for clues that a driver was not giving their full attention to the road. Their official reports, any citations for cellphone use, and findings from in-depth accident reconstruction can all become useful pieces of evidence.
Gathering this evidence helps build a case that someone was distracted and caused an accident. Calling a St. Louis personal injury lawyer can allow you to pursue compensation for injuries from the incident.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Distracted Driving Accident?
While distracted drivers are often the main ones responsible for these kinds of crashes, there are times when other people or businesses can also be held liable. Understanding who might share responsibility is important for anyone involved in or injured by a distracted driving accident.
- Negligent Drivers: If someone is texting, making calls, adjusting their music, eating, or ignoring the road, they can be considered negligent.
- Employers: When a crash involves delivery drivers, bus drivers, or other people performing work duties, the employer can sometimes be held liable as well.
- Other Potentially Liable Parties: Sometimes, people besides the one directly behind the wheel can still share in the blame. This could include vehicle owners who knowingly allow unsafe drivers to use their vehicles, companies that fail to properly supervise employees, or businesses that encourage drivers to use phones or electronic devices while driving.
In some cases, multiple parties may share responsibility for a distracted driving accident.
Why Hire Drafahl Law Firm After a Distracted Driving Accident?
When you’re hurt by a distracted driver, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by medical bills (TBIs, broken bones, etc…), missed work, and pushback from insurance companies. Drafahl Law Firm understands what you’re up against. You benefit from a team that’s handled countless cases like yours and knows how to investigate distracted driving through evidence, witness statements, and thorough accident analysis.
Our firm treats every client with respect, only takes a select number of cases at a time to ensure personal attention, and fights hard for fair compensation, both at the negotiation table and inside the courtroom if needed.
If you or a loved one has been hit by a distracted driver, reach out today for a free consultation.