I am guilty of it. I know many people who are guilty of it. Texting and driving can be very distracting. It is also illegal in the state of California. Though the consequence of being caught texting while driving is minimal to say the least, the damage that can be caused can be devastating. Texting takes your attention from the road and can lead to an accident. Any car accident lawyer can tell you that even though people know this, they text and drive anyway. I see so many people on my way to and from work on their phones all the time. Below, we put together some tips on how to prevent texting and driving; especially during the summer season. If you have been injured in an accident, contact a car accident attorney in our office, consultations are free!
Car Accident Lawyer | Preventing Texting & Driving
One of the first steps to preventing texting and driving is to eliminate the temptation to text. Easier said than done. as I know a lot of us use our phones for GPS services, streaming music, etc. Here are some ways to eliminate the temptation of texting and driving:
Silence Your Phone
A good way to prevent texting and driving is to silence your phone. If you do not need to use GPS services, you can turn your phone off. Though our car accident attorney does not suggest turning your phone off in case of an emergency, silencing or putting it in airplane mode will also work. This will help you to not hear texts to social media notifications. If you do not hear your notifications, you are less likely to be tempted to look at them and respond.
Store Out Of Reach
Sometimes, I have to put my phone in my glove box when I am driving. There are times when I want to check Facebook or Instagram when I am on the road, even though I know they both can wait. Placing your phone out of reach while driving will help if you are ever tempted to reach for it. Try placing it in the trunk, glove box, center console, behind your seat, etc. However, if you do decide to store it away, make sure you will not reach to these places when you are driving. Trying to grab something that is out of reach is dangerous and can cause an accident.
Using Technology On Your Phone
Every phone comes with a “Do Not Disturb” button as well as airplane mode. These tools will be very helpful to you when you are driving. These make it so no calls, texts, social media alerts. This can eliminate distractions and reduce the risk of an accident. However, if you put your phone on “Do Not Disturb” you can allow exceptions. This will make it so your family members can call in the case of an emergency.
Prevention Apps
There are apps that you can download and use that will help prevent texting and driving. Some of these apps will block all texts and/or calls while you are on the road. Some of these apps include Live2Txt, SafeDrive, Drivemode, and DriveSafe.ly.
You can also use voice commands. Sometimes, when I am driving and I receive a text, I will use my voice to text option. It is not that difficult to work and you can text using only your voice. Even when you are driving – and it is virtually handsfree. Further, before trying this, determine how the voice text functions on your phone works. Having to look at the phone and figure it out will defeat the purpose of this handsfree option.
Assessing the Risk
Every time you get the urge to text and drive, you not only put yourself in potential danger, but the drivers around you as well. Ask yourself “is reading this text or checking this notification worth the risk of an accident?” by thinking about the risks, it can help you get out of the habit of reaching for your phone. This will also help you learn patience. Nothing is ever more important than safety on the road.
Another way to combat this is, if there are any passengers in your car, you can easily have them text, talk to, or navigate to where you need to go.
Injured? Contact a Car Accident Attorney Today!
If you are suffering from injuries due to an accident, please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss your case. Every car accident attorney in our office is here to help you get the settlement you deserve. We will never back down when it comes to dealing with insurance adjusters. Every accident lawyer knows that they will do everything in their power to make this process difficult for you. That is where we step in. We believe that your only focus should be on healing from your injuries.
Contact our office to discuss your case today. Consultations with a car accident attorney are free!
Dangers of Texting and Driving
Technology is a staple of the 21st century. We use our phones to communicate with one another. We also use them for social media. as a personal injury attorney, our firm has seen many accidents that are due to using their phones while driving. Commuting to work, you see many people on their phones. Whether they are talking on their phone, texting, changing the music, etc. as a personal injury lawyer, we know that about 80% of the population that drivers does this. We have seen it. However, as a leading accident attorney in Orange County, we know how dangerous this is. It leads to accidents. If you are suffering from injuries due to a distracted driver, contact an accident lawyer in our office. Consultations with a car accident lawyer in our office are free!
Personal Injury Attorney | Distracted Driving
Over the years, there has been an increase in accidents due to distractions. Over 2.5 million people in the U.S. are involved in car accidents each year. We have found that approximately 1.6 million of these accidents have involved a cell phone.
- Each year, approximately 421,000 people are involved in accidents that involve those who are distracted;
- 1 out of 4 car accidents are caused by texting while driving;
- Texting while driving is six times more likely to get you into an accident than drunk driving;
- On average, it takes three seconds after a driver’s mind is taken of the road for an accident to occur;
- Reading a text takes approximately 5 seconds each time. This means that the chances of getting into an accident while reading a text are high;
- The chances of you getting into an accident when you are texting and driving are 23 times. Even if the accident is the other driver’s fault;
- When you text while driving, the time that you spend with your eyes off the road increases;
- It is estimated that 11 teenagers die every day due to texting and driving accidents.
As you can see, driving while texting or on the phone has tremendous consequences.
Personal Injury Lawyer | Teen Drivers & Cell Phone Use
As we stated above, on average, 11 teens die every day due to texting and driving. This is a staggering number. Even with the hands-free law here in California, as a personal injury attorney, we see these kinds of accidents all the time.
- According to a poll that the AAA did, 94% of teen drivers acknowledge the dangers of texting and driving. 35% of those polled said that they text and drive anyway;
- 21% of teenaged drivers that are involved in fatal accidents were distracted in some way by their phones.;
- Teen drivers with only one other passenger in their vehicle will double the risk of getting into a fatal car accident. With two or more passengers, they are five times as likely to get into an accident.
We are not trying to speak poorly of teenagers these days. They have grown up in a generation where they are always connected to others. So being on their phones is almost second nature to them. Even when they are driving. as a car accident lawyer, we urge drivers to refrain from using their cellular devices while they are driving.
Accident Attorney | National Survey On Distracted Driving Behaviors
In 2012, a survey was done on distracted driving attitudes and behaviors. What was found is very interesting:
- Nearly 48% of drivers on the road admit to answering their cell phones while driving;
- Of those who answered their phones, 58% continued to drive while they were on their phones;
- In the survey 24% of drivers reported that they are willing to make a phone call while driving;
- 1 in 10 drivers said that they send text messages or emails while behind the wheel;
- 14% of drivers said they read a text message or email while driving;
- A majority of these who were surveyed said they support the laws that ban talk on cell phones, texting, or emailing while driving.
Accident Lawyer | What’s Next?
As an accident lawyer in Orange County, we know that being on our phones is routine. Sometimes it helps when we are sitting in traffic. We pick up our phones to get an alternate route to where we are going. a friend calls or texts. It happens. in California, there is a hands-free law. Unfortunately, the fine for driving while on your phone is not a steep one.
The base fine for a first offense is $20.00. for second offenses and any others after, the fine is only $50. the total fine you could end up paying will likely be between $150-250. and a violation of the hands-free law will not count as a point on your record. the hands free law makes exceptions for the following:
- Emergency service professionals who are operating an authorized emergency vehicle;
- Turning a mounted GPS on or off – as long as it only takes a tap or swipe to do so;
- When using a manufacture-installed system that is embedded in your car.
Additional penalty assessments can make the fine more than the base amount.
With people having access to this knowledge, it is no wonder why people have the tendency to overlook the law.
Suffering From Injuries? Contact A Car Accident Attorney Today!
If you are suffering from injuries due to the negligence of another, you have rights. Hiring an accident lawyer at Silverthorne Attorneys will greatly help your case. You do not have to suffer alone. We can get you the settlement you deserve in order to recover from your injuries. Contact a personal injury attorney in our office today. Consultations are free!
More Dangers of Texting & Driving
Today, as I was driving through the Seattle area, I came across a really bad accident. Though I am no expert, one of the cars looked to be completely totaled. and that got me to thinking and wanting to discuss more and more of the dangers of texting and driving. Working for a car accident attorney in Southern California, I am much more aware of all of the things that we allow ourselves to be distracted by. Most of us are glued to our phones. and texting and driving is one of the biggest distractions on the road these days. Below, I am going to go over some of the dangers of texting and driving as well as how to avoid these distractions. If you have been injured in an accident, contact an auto accident lawyer in our office. Consultations are free!
Car Accident Attorney | Texting & Driving
We all do it. at least all of us that can drive do it. We see a text come in from a friend or get a notification on social media and we cannot help it. It is almost as if we are almost conditioned to do it at this point because looking at our phones has become a part of our daily lives.
However, there are some dangers to this kind of distracted driving. Did you know that driving while distracted causes more accidents every year than drunk driving accidents? More and more people are being injured due to texting and driving every year.
I won’t lie, I do it sometimes and I am currently trying to stop. No text or call is really that important that it cannot wait. Even if it is, you can always pull over to the side of the road or into a parking lot to answer the text.
Some Statistics
Even if you think that you have no problem texting or being on social media when you are driving, there are some very interesting facts that our car accident attorney wants you to be aware of:
- 30% of car accidents in 2016 were due to someone texting and driving
- on average, 9 people are killed every year due to texting and driving
- more than 1,000 people are injured due to phone related distracted driving
Like some believe that they can drive better when they are drunk, because they think they are being more cautious, people who text and drive are not, statistically speaking better drivers. Furthermore, those who do text and drive or are on their phones while driving are not better drivers. Just because you have not been in an accident that does not mean that you are a good distracted driver. Believe it or not, no one is a good distracted driver.
What Makes Texting & Driving Dangerous
There are actually a few common things that make texting and driving – or distracted driving in general – dangerous. However, texting and driving is especial dangerous because it involves all types of driving distractions. Those being the following:
- visual
- when your eyes are not on the road, they are on your phone. Driving is very much about keeping your eyes on the road and on the drivers around you and making sure that you and others on the road are safe
- manual
- when you are driving with only one hand and not both. I have to admit, there are times when I drive with only one hand. It’s usually when I am sitting in stop-and-go traffic on the 5 freeway in Irvine on my way to and from work. However, when you combine visual and manual, it presents an even bigger distraction
- cognitive
- being on your phone takes your thoughts off of the road and away from safe and defensive driving practices. Though, I think, when we have music playing in the background, that can sometimes take your thoughts off of the road, but not in the same way that your phone can
When you are busy on your phone when you are driving, it is easy to forget you are sharing the road with other drivers. Did you know that the five seconds it takes to send a text, you have already driven the length of a football field? and with minimal attention to the road.
Though texting and driving is illegal, the fines are not that hefty. However, if you were to get into an accident while you were texting and driving, not only will fines be hefty, but also your insurance rates will sky rocket.
How to Break the Habit
We live in a society where our cellphones are practically glued to our hands. Below are some tips on how to prevent yourself from texting and driving:
- put your phone on airplane mode
- turn your phone off
- put your phone in your purse or in the glove box to make it more difficult to grab
- if you have a passenger in the car with you, give your phone to them to hold
There are so many things that can be done to break the habit of texting and driving.
Contact an Auto Accident Lawyer Today!
Suffering from injuries because of someone else’s negligence should never be a burden you have to bear. Not physically or financially. That is where an auto accident lawyer at Silverthorne Attorneys comes in. We believe in doing what is right for our clients and that includes going up against unfair and unjust insurance adjusters.
You should never do this on your own. Especially when you are suffering. Contact us today to discuss your case. Not only will we help you get the settlement you deserve, we will also get you in touch with the best medical professionals we know.
If you have been injured in an accident, do not hesitate to contact our office. Consultations with a car accident attorney in our office are free!
Cell Phone Use While Driving
The state of California implemented several laws that ban the use of cell phone while operating a vehicle. While driving to work this morning, I looked into my rear-view mirror and saw a woman in a minivan talking on her cell phone as she was driving. If I am going to talk on my cell phone when I am driving, I either use my headset or put the person who I am speaking to on speaker phone. and that got me thinking about what these hands free law saw. What constitutes being within the law, when it comes to hands free. Here are a few things I have learned:
- The law applies to ANYONE driving in California – whether they are from California or not.
- Handhelds may be used under the following circumstances:
- to make an emergency call to police, ambulance, fire department, or any other emergency service
- those who are operating emergency vehicles
- those who are operating their vehicle on private property
- The fine for a first offense is as low as $76, however a second offense is $190
- It will appear on your driving record BUT! it will NOT count as a point.
- Police have primary enforcement authority for this violation which means that they can pull you over just for this infraction
- Drivers under the age of 18 are not permitted to use a cell phone, pager, laptop, or any other electronic communication device – handheld or hands-free – to speak or text while driving
- there are NO exceptions for emancipated minors, nor are the exceptions if there is an adult driving with the minor
- minors are only permitted to use their phones in an emergency situation – to call police, ambulance, fire, etc.
- There is a separate law which prohibits texting and driving. Under this law, drivers are not allowed to write, send, or read a text message while operating their vehicle.
- the fine base for this violation is $20 for the first offense and $50 for each subsequent offense thereafter, however, additional penalty assessments can make the fine more than double the base amount
Suffering from Injuries? Contact a Personal Injury Attorney!
Not only has it become against the law, but it can also be dangerous to use your phone when you are driving. There are just too many distractions and unfortunately accidents can and do occur.
If you have been injured in an accident, please contact us to discuss your case. Consultations are free!
Texting & Driving: When to Hire an Attorney
According to the CDC, driving with distractions claims thousands of lives every year. Our car accident lawyer reports that it leads to tens of thousands of injuries. Many of them serious and requiring expensive medical care. One frequent source of distraction on the road is texting while driving. Which puts drivers, passengers, and unsuspecting pedestrians in danger.
Like many other states, California passed a law forbidding drivers from texting. However, a recent poll taken by the Automobile Club of Southern California found that texting on the road has gone up by 126% in the past few years. in spite of the texting ban, drivers continue to engage in this dangerous practice. Frequently, the perpetrators are younger drivers, who also tend to be more irresponsible.
Car Accident Lawyer | Why Texting & Driving is Dangerous
- When you text while driving, you aren’t looking at the road enough. Your eyes keep darting to your mobile device to read the latest text. Because your attention isn’t fully on the road, your reaction time to events is slower. Furthermore you’re more likely to fail at spotting other vehicles, pedestrians, traffic signs, construction work, and anything else you should be attending to.
- Because you’re holding the device in your hand, you have less control over the wheel.
- Even if you purchase a hands-free device, they are still distractions.
Another danger comes from drivers who are complacent about their ability to juggle both texting and driving. They blithely text, while failing to notice that they’re gliding into another lane or that they’re slowly pushing their car past the acceptable speed limit.
Where does this leave the victims of distracted drivers? If the ban isn’t turning out to be as effective as was hoped, it means that many people remain in danger from this particular kind of distracted driving. in the aftermath of such an accident, you should contact an expert California car accident attorney, who will go over all of the details of the crash with you and advocate for you to receive fair compensation from insurance companies and negligent drivers. You won’t have to struggle alone with your injuries and their cost.
Suffering From Injuries? Contact a Car Accident Lawyer Today!
If you are suffering from injuries due to an accident, contact a car accident lawyer in our office today. Consultations are free!
