When people get their driver’s licenses, they gain an enormous responsibility because operating a motor vehicle can be dangerous. Motorists should give their full attention to their driving duties at all times in order to minimize the risk of collisions. Sadly, people today are often too preoccupied with things other than what is on the road in front of them, so distracted driving car accidents in Beaumont can occur.
If you suspect the motorist who caused your wreck was distracted, our car accident attorneys from Schechter, Shaffer & Harris might be able to help you pursue a civil lawsuit to hold the driver legally responsible. Our dedicated legal team has successfully handled cases involving all kinds of driver distractions.
Manual Distractions
Motorists need to use both their hands to control their vehicles. If they reach down to turn the knob on the radio, or hold food or drink in their hand, type a text message, they need to remove at least one of their hands from the wheel. Even if they keep one hand on the wheel, they will lose the manual dexterity to be able to fully react in an emergency.
For example, if a child darts into the road, a driver needs to quickly turn the wheel to avoid striking them. If they have both hands on the wheel, they can quickly jerk the wheel to execute the turn. With only one hand on the wheel, the turn would be much slower and could result in a tragic situation. If the driver has removed both hands from the wheel, the likelihood of serious accidents occurring is even more serious.
Our skilled investigative team could talk to bystanders to see if they saw the driver remove one or both hands from the vehicle. We could also examine traffic camera or surveillance footage.
Visual Distractions
Drivers should always keep their focus on the road in front of them and should regularly check their rearview and side mirrors so they know what is surrounding them. If a motorist averts their eyes to read a text message, read the directions on their GPS, look at their appearance in the mirror while they put on makeup, or even swings around to check their children in the rear seats, they will not know what is happening on the road around them.
A traffic light could turn red or the car in front of them could slow down and the driver who is visually distracted would not know. By not watching the road, a driver would not be able to follow turns in the road, which could cause them to risk veering out of their lane or even off the road.
Our experienced Beaumont legal team could speak to witnesses to see if they observed the driver acting distracted, such as by looking down or away from the road. We could also check for a lack of skid marks, which could indicate the driver made no attempt to stop prior to the crash.
Cognitive Distractions
A cognitive distraction occurs when a driver’s mind shifts away from the road and their driving duties. When a driver lets their mind wander, they pose a risk to others on the road. Talking to passengers or composing a text could constitute a cognitive distraction.
Cognitive distractions can be the hardest distractions to prove, but our determined legal team knows how to dig deep to find proof. We also work with accident reconstruction experts who could help determine whether distracted driving played a role in the accident.
Work with a Beaumont Lawyer After a Distracted Driving Crash
Distracted driving car accidents in Beaumont should never occur. When they do occur, you deserve the chance to fight back when you suffer a severe injury. Work with the personal injury lawyers of Schechter, Shaffer & Harris to get the help you deserve.
