Many states in our country have enacted cellphone laws that prohibit drivers from having the devices in their actual hands while driving. There is some good sense to such laws, despite how unenforceable they may be, because many car accidents do occur because a driver is looking away from the road and is, instead, looking at a handheld electronic device. However, even hands-free cellphone use can be distracting.
The fact is that anything that takes a driver’s focus off of the task of driving could be a distraction. It’s just that these days, cellphones are seemingly the most prevalent distraction for drivers on the roadways in North Carolina and throughout the country. Each year, thousands of people are injured—and some are even killed—because of motor vehicle accidents that involve cellphone use.
So, do you have legal options after you have been injured in a car accident that was caused by a distracted driver? If you have the evidence to support your claim, the answer may be a resounding “yes.” After all, distraction for a driver is a potential form of “negligence”—a legal term to describe someone who fails to abide by a duty to others. For drivers, the duty in question is to operate motor vehicles carefully and to be aware of others on the road.
At our law firm, we work with our clients to help them hold negligent drivers accountable, whether the distraction in the case was cellphone use or some other distraction. If the accident wasn’t your fault, you may have legal options. For more information, please visit the distracted driving overview section of our law firm’s website.