Safety advocates and lawmakers across the nation have been alarmed by the number of car accidents involving drivers who are distracted by their cellphones and other digital devices.
In Georgia, it is illegal to hold or use a cell phone for a number of purposes. For example, drivers cannot hold or support such devices with any parts of their bodies. They also cannot send, read, or respond to any message that comes to them in a text format, such as a text message, instant message, or email. Watching, streaming, and recording videos with their phones is also prohibited.
The reason that Georgia and other states have adopted hands-free laws is because cell phone use while driving is dangerous. The functions that cell phones can perform are significant distractions, and when drivers are operating their vehicles, their full attention should be on the road. When drivers allow their phones to steal their focus, devastating and sometimes deadly motor vehicle accidents can happen.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that across the nation nearly 3,000 people die in distracted driving accidents each year. This disturbing number highlights just how common and unfortunately prevalent distracted driving accidents are, and Georgia residents are not immune to these preventable tragedies.
Motor vehicle accidents caused by distracted drivers can provide strong foundations for personal injury claims. That is because driving while distracted is negligent and negligence can be used to prove fault and causation in personal injury cases. In order to explore the possibility of litigating one’s claims after a distracted driving collision, a victim may wish to work with an attorney to have their specific questions addressed and answered.
