New York Car Accident Distracted Driving

If you thought the number one cause of accidents in New York was drunk driving, you would be wrong. Although drunk driving is certainly dangerous, according to the statistical data from a 2014 report, the number one cause of accidents in New York is distracted driving. When you consider all of the other reasons that people might get into car accidents, knowing that most are caused by distracted driving also means knowing that most accidents could have been prevented. Because most car accidents involving distracted drivers are entirely preventable, those drivers should be held responsible for any injuries and damage that occurs.

Cell Phone and Other Distractions in Car Accidents

Cell phones are some of the most unnecessary distractions there are in a vehicle. Even when people don’t respond to texts and messages, the sound of the alerts can be distracting, especially when a person isn’t expecting it. It goes to a whole new level when people try to read and then respond to things when they are driving.

Then there are phone calls, which could easily be made by pulling over. Even when the call is made using a hands-free device, it is still a distraction. When all senses are focused on driving and nothing else, the chances for a successful trip increase dramatically. It isn’t just the act of talking on the phone that is distracting, but the emotions that go along with it. An emotional conversation can leave people with more attention invested in the phone call than in the act of driving.

GPS devices can also be distracting, even if they are helpful. There are only 83 instances of a GPS device being the cause of distraction that lead to an accident in 2014, but that’s 83 more than there needed to be. Most people who are distracted by the device aren’t distracted by listening to directions. Instead, they are distracted by interacting or adjusting the device. Anything that causes you to take your eyes from the road or your hands from the wheel, is considered a distraction.

Other Passengers Can Be Distractions

It isn’t just devices and “things” that cause distracted driving. People and animals can be distractions too. For example, tending to the needs of a small child in the back seat can be difficult to do when you are driving. In most cases, the driver is better off pulling over and dealing with the situation than to try and manage it while driving. This doesn’t just end the distraction for the moment, but can prevent future distractions as well. Animals that aren’t strapped in and other passengers in your car who want your attention can also be distracting, even when they are adults.

Distracted driving involves many activities, not just talking &/or texting on a cell phone or using a navigation system. Other examples of distracted driving include the following:

• Adjusting a radio
• Looking for music on your phone
• Taking a video or photo
• Eating while driving
• Drinking while driving
• Checking weather reports
• Checking traffic reports
• Reaching for something
• Personal grooming

Keeping Your Eyes on the Road

In order to be safe on the road, it’s important to have all of your attention focused on the act of driving. When distracted driving car accidents are leading the way in the statistics involved in New York car accidents, it’s time to take a closer look at what drivers are doing behind the wheel of a car. It’s most important for drivers to remember that no matter how much experience they have or how long they have been driving, at the very least they need to be alert and focused enough to react to the drivers around them.

Repercussions of Distracted Driving

It isn’t just the threat of endangering other people’s lives. Drivers who are caught driving while distracted, or texting and driving, can face severe penalties like fines and fees and loss of driving privileges. For the drivers and other people on the road, distracted driving just isn’t worth taking the chance on. The most serious repercussion, however, is being responsible for another person’s injury, or even death, simply because you used your cell phone while you were driving.

The penalties for distracted driving in New York are as follows:

First offense: $50 – $200 fine plus five points

Second offense (within 18 months): $50 – $250 fine plus five points

Third offense (within 18 months): $50 – $450 fine plus five points

Distracted driving causes serious injuries. Common injuries caused by distracted driving include the following:

• Traumatic brain injuries (“TBI”)
• Spinal cord injuries
• Paralysis
• Fractured bones / broken bones
• Amputations
• Burn injuries
• Nerve damage
• Neck & back – soft tissue injuries
• Internal organ damage
• Knee & shoulder injuries
• Wrongful death

Talk to Our Car Accident Lawyers For Help

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident that may have been caused by a distracted driver, the New York car accident lawyers at Greenstein & Milbauer can help.

We will compile the evidence necessary to prove that distracted driving caused your accident. Such evidence can include the following:

• Cell phone records
• Video surveillance
• Eyewitness accounts
• Expert testimony

If you or a loved one is a victim of an accident involving a distracted driver, contact the Distracted Driving Accident Lawyers at Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP for assistance. The Distracted Driving Accident Attorneys at Greenstein and Milbauer, LLP offer the experience, professionalism, and accessibility clients want and need when involved in an accident with a distracted driver. We have more than 25 years of personal injury legal experience and have recovered millions for our clients over the years. We handle all aspects of your case from start to finish.

If you are a victim of a distracted driving accident, don’t be a victim twice, call 1-800-Victim2 (1-800-842-8462).