According to a study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, drivers who text are 23 times more likely to get into a serious accident than undistracted drivers. The study also showed that a driver traveling at 55 miles per hour who looks at a cell phone for five seconds will travel the length of a football field without looking at the road.
Texting and driving are illegal in Georgia. Clayton County auto accident attorney Shane Smith can help if you are in an accident where the other driver was texting while driving.
- What is Georgia's distracted driving law?
Texting and driving are illegal in Georgia pursuant to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated section 40-6-241. Novice drivers are prohibited from using cell phones for talking or texting. But Georgia has not prohibited the use of handheld devices while driving; motorists may use cell phones for conversations while driving but they may not use the phones to send or receive text messages.
- Who are the most frequent distracted driving offenders?
Young and inexperienced drivers are the most frequent offenders; 16 percent of all distracted driving accidents involve drivers under 20 years old. According to a government website, over 800,000 vehicles are being driven by someone using a hand-held device at any given moment during daylight hours.
- What kind of compensation can a victim of a distracted driving accident seek?
Compensation will vary but victims could be compensated for medical expenses, pain, and suffering, lost wages, reduced earning ability, and mental anguish, among other issues.
If you or someone you know has been hurt by a distracted driver, meet with a Clayton County auto accident lawyer at Shane Smith Law.