Distracted driving accidents killed 3,092 people in 2010 according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. It is estimated that an additional 416,000 people were injured in automobile crashes involving a distracted drivers.
Consulting a Riverdale attorney after an auto accident involving a distracted driver enhances a victim's ability to receive a reasonable settlement. If you have been injured in a Riverdale auto accident involving a distracted driver you should discuss your case with an auto accident attorney at Shane Smith Law.
Texting and driving are illegal in the majority of states including Georgia. In Georgia, it is prohibited pursuant to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated section 40-6-241. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently reported that enforcement of Georgia's texting and driving ban is nearly nonexistent. In over two years since the law went into effect, there has been an average of fewer than 50 convictions per month. In 2011, nearly 4,000 accidents in Georgia were attributed to distracted driving and cell phone use; nearly 1,000 accidents resulted in injury, and nine were fatal crashes. Riverdale convicted only 20 people for distracted driving.
According to a study by the Pew Research Center, 75 percent of children between the ages of 12-17 own cell phones; 66 percent use their phones to send and receive text messages. The research center provides other data that shows the dangerous mixture of teens and distracted driving:
- More than half of the teen drivers between the ages of 16-17 admit to talking on a cell phone while driving;
- Almost 40 percent of children between the ages of 12-17 say they have been in a car driven by a teen who talked on a cell phone while driving;
- Nearly 50 percent of children between the ages of 12-17 say they have been in a car driven by a teen who texted while driving;
If you or someone you know has been hurt by a distracted driver, meet with a Riverdale auto accident lawyer at Shane Smith Law. We can assist you in every stage of your case including obtaining the available evidence.