Texting while driving has quickly become one of the leading causes of car accidents in the U.S. In fact, the number of accidents caused by texting while driving has surpassed those caused by drinking while driving, indicating that texting and driving has become a very serious epidemic. Because of how dangerous texting while driving actually is, several states have made texting while driving illegal, and some have even gone so far as to ban cellphone use entirely while behind the wheel of a vehicle. While Pennsylvania is not one of the states that has banned cellphone use while driving, it has banned texting while driving.
Because texting and driving is illegal, if a texting driver causes an accident, he or she may be guilty of negligence. If you were in an accident caused by a driver who was texting, you may have a negligence claim on your hands. The Allentown texting while driving accident attorneys at van der Veen, Hartshorn, Levin & Lindheim have been winning texting and driving lawsuits for more than a decade. If you want to win your accident case, contact our team today to discuss your options.
Texting While Driving Accident Statistics
For the most part, the rise of the smartphone has been a positive advancement in communications technology. Thanks to smartphones, we can talk to distant friends and family members through text, via Skype or FaceTime, or even over the phone without paying a dime extra for long-distance. We can send emails from outside the office, schedule taxis in advance, order food for delivery or pickup, and navigate ourselves through strange parts of town with ease. We can go on and on about the benefits of the smartphone all day long, but what does not get enough attention are the pitfalls of such technology. One such pitfall is the accidents. Below is just a few texting while driving stats worth sharing:
- Cell phone users are 5.36 times more likely to get into an accident than undistracted drivers. (University of Utah)
- Sending or reading a text message takes your eyes off the road for about 5 seconds, long enough to cover a football field while driving at 55 mph. (NHTSA)
- Text messaging increases the risk of crash or near-crash by 23 times. (Virginia Technical Transportation Institute, USDOT)
- 10% of fatal crashes and 15% of injury crashes in 2015 were distraction-affected. (NHTSA)
Fierce Legal Advocates You Can Count On
Our Allentown accident injury attorneys have seen first-hand the devastation that distracted driving can cause. It is not unheard of for a five- to ten-word text to result in life-altering injuries, outstanding medical expenses, and even death. Our team has resolved to take a stand against distracted driving by helping victims fight for the compensation they need and deserve to recover in comfort. While the extent of your injuries and how long recovery is anticipated to take will set the foundation for what damages to which you are entitled, our team will fight to recover the following types of damages on your behalf:
- Past and future medical expenses;
- Past and future lost wages;
- Property damage;
- Pain and suffering;
- Compensation for disability or disfigurement; and/or
- Punitive damage.
Contact Our Allentown Legal Associates to Learn More About How You Can Maximize Your Recovery
Proving that the other driver was texting while driving when the accident occurred will not be an easy feat. At van der Veen, Hartshorn, Levin & Lindheim, we possess the resources, knowledge, and skill that others simply do not have, and we are prepared to use these attributes to help you obtain the maximum amount of compensation for your injuries and damages. To schedule a free initial consultation, call our Allentown law firm at (215) 486-0123 anytime. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Or, contact us online.
