Distracted Driving Accidents

There are many reasons why car accidents happen, such as drunk driving, speeding, tired driving, and more. However, one of the increasingly common reasons for car crashes is distracted driving. As the name suggests, it is when a driver pays attention to something else besides the road ahead of them. And with so much going on on the roads of Houston, even a distraction of just a second or two could lead to an accident. 

However, if that happens, the accident victim will not have to pay for their expenses themself. That is because they can get compensation from the insurance company of the driver responsible for the accident. That is fortunate because those expenses could add up quickly; they could include medical bills, repair bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. If you want the best chance of receiving compensation after a distracted driving accident in Houston, you need to contact Jerome O. Fjeld, PLLC. He has over 20 years of experience helping Houston residents get the compensation they need after being in a car accident, so you can be sure that he will help you.

The Different Types of Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is easy to identify, but there are three different kinds of distraction that some drivers engage in. According to the CDC, they are as follows:

Visual Distraction – This is when a driver takes their eyes off the road. It’s easy to see why this is a problem because the driver might not be able to react to changes in road or traffic conditions.

Manual Distraction – This is when the driver takes their hands off the wheel to do something else. Even though the car might be able to stay in its lane for a little while without any steering input, this behavior is still dangerous because the driver could easily cause an accident if there is an obstacle in the road they need to avoid, or the lane starts to curve.
Cognitive Distraction – This is when a driver takes their mind off the road and focuses on something else. If the driver’s mind starts to drift, they might not be able to react in time to an emergency situation ahead of them, resulting in an accident.

Distracted Driving Accident
Attorney Jerome O. FjeldDistracted Driving Accident

Types of Distracted Driving Behavior

There are many different ways that drivers can get distracted, but the one thing they all have in common is that they could lead to a serious accident.

Texting and driving – This is one of the more relatively recent kinds of distracted driving behavior and one of the most dangerous. The reason is that it combines all three kinds of distraction into one activity. That is why texting while driving has been outlawed in Houston and many other cities across the country.

Eating or drinking – Whether, it’s a candy bar, a bottle of water, or even a hamburger, many people engage in this behavior at one time or another. It’s fine if the car is stopped, but it can quickly become dangerous in a moving vehicle. That’s because the driver has to take at least one hand off the wheel and so might not be able to react in time to an emergency. Plus, if the food spills, the driver might lose their concentration and lose control of their vehicle.

Grooming – You might have seen women putting on make-up or men checking themselves out in the rear-view mirror while driving. It’s easy to see why this behavior is dangerous because the driver’s eyes and mind are not on the road, which means they could drift out of their lane or lose control of their vehicle.

Talking with passengers – This isn’t always dangerous, but it can get that way if the driver is too focused on the conversation and not on the road. They might be tempted to look at their passenger every now and then, and any lapse in concentration or focus on the road could lead to an accident. Parents who have unruly children in the car with them might face similar problems.

There are many other types of distracted driving behavior, such as fiddling with the dashboard, rubbernecking, zoning out, and more. 

How Jerome O. Fjeld, PLLC Can Help You If You Were in a Distracted Driving Accident

You might need the help of an experienced attorney after a distracted driving accident because as common as distracted driving is, it isn’t always easy to prove. Fortunately, a car accident lawyer will know what to look for in a distracted driving case. For example, it might not be easy to prove that a driver was texting when they caused a crash since the driver can simply deny it. However, an attorney can subpoena the driver’s phone carrier to get a timeline of their activity, and if it shows that the driver was using their phone when the accident happened, your attorney can use that as proof.

They can also get the police record of the accident, which could have the officer’s opinion that the driver was distracted when they caused the accident. If there is any surveillance footage of the driver, then a lawyer can obtain it. 

Contact Jerome O. Fjeld, PLLC If You Were in a Houston Distracted Driving Accident

Since distracted driving is not always easy to prove, you will need the help of an attorney if you want the the best chance of getting compensation. Jerome O. Fjeld, PLLC has the experience, perceptiveness, and legal knowledge you need to help prove the fault of a distracted driver. So if you were in a distracted driving accident in Houston, contact Jerome O. Fjeld, PLLC to get the help you need.

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