What is Distracted Driving?

According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, 21 percent of all car accidents in the state of North Carolina involved a distracted driver.

Driver distraction occurs when a motorist is focused on anything other than the road while operating a vehicle. Talking or texting on a phone, entering data into a GPS device, eating, daydreaming, talking to passengers, or changing the music are common examples of distracted behavior that increase collision risks. A motorist can still be distracted when using voice-controlled infotainment systems or a hands-free phone, as the brain is not able to effectively multi-task.

If a driver is distracted and a crash occurs, the motorist who was not paying attention to the road can be held accountable for accident losses. If the driver’s actions were a violation of the law, such as a motorist texting despite a texting ban, the failure to follow a safety regulation can create a presumption the distracted driver was negligent. This allows a collision victim to recover compensation as long as the victim can prove that the accident occurred as a direct result of the distracting behavior.

A North Carolina car accident attorney can provide assistance to victims of distracted driving accidents. An attorney can help victims to subpoena phone records, police records, and other evidence necessary to prove distraction was the collision cause. Contact an attorney as soon as possible following a collision with a driver who was not paying attention so you can begin putting together a strong case to recover economic and non-financial damages resulting from the crash.