Over the years, the attorneys of Mann Wyatt Tanksley Injury Attorneys have seen how motorists cause terrible accidents because they were texting while driving. However, this dangerous situation is exacerbated even further when combined with inclement weather. This dangerous combination can lead to a greater number of auto accident injuries and fatalities.
“Texting while driving takes your eyes off the road longer than any other distracted driving offense,” says Scott Mann, auto accident attorney.
“It involves reading, writing and reacting to a message, which takes at least 5 seconds. If you are driving 55 mph, this means you are not looking at the road for 100 yards.”
According to the National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS), the number of drivers using a cell phone or electronic device is 660,000 at any given time in the United States. Texting while driving is also the leading cause of vehicular death for teenagers. Studies conducted by the Cohen Children’s Medical Center has estimated that 3,000 teen deaths and 300,000 injuries were caused by texting while driving in 2013.
“Texting while driving is actually a problem for drivers of all ages,” says Scott, “Motorists who text while they drive are just as dangerous, if not more dangerous than motorists who are driving while intoxicated. When this is combined with inclement weather, the results are even more tragic.”
When the road surface is covered in snow, ice, sleet or rain, drivers have far less time to react to traffic conditions. It takes much longer to stop safely, change lanes, or make a turn. Driving in these hazardous conditions takes the full attention of an alert driver. Texting motorists aren’t watching the road, and have even less reaction time on an icy surface. They stomp on their brakes, which makes their car slide farther than it would otherwise — even into another lane of traffic.
If you have been injured in an auto accident because of a texting driver, please contact the personal injury attorneys of Mann Wyatt Tanksley Injury Attorneys. We give every client our complete care and attention. It is an honor to serve you and your case!
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