It is something seen every day: people driving while talking (or worse, texting) on their cell phones. And, every day, the news carries a story about some distracted driver involved in an auto accident. Attorneys in Denver have seen a marked increase in the number of car accidents blamed on cell phone use while driving. In situations involving a car accident, lawyers can help both victims and at-fault parties.
Although Colorado has no restrictions on talking on cell phone for full fledged drivers, it does restrict how cell phones are used by younger drivers. In Denver and throughout Colorado, there is a ban on texting while driving. However, unlike many other states, including neighboring Utah, there is no requirement that a hands free device be used to talk on a cell phone while driving.
Many people do opt to use hand held devices. Some use them purely as a convenience, one less thing to juggle during a busy day. Others use them because they believe they will increase the safety of their driving, allowing two hands to remain on the steering wheel and enabling them to focus more on driving. But does the use of a hands free device mean that the user is not a distracted driver?
A study performed at the University of Utah looked at drivers using both hand held and hands-free cell phones as compared to intoxicated drivers. The study found that drivers who used cell phones had slower reactions times, took longer to regain normal speed after braking, were involved in more accidents, and also found that the driving impairments associated with handheld and hands free cell phone conversations were not significantly different.
To avoid being involved in an auto accident, attorneys invariably recommend that full attention be paid to the road and the vehicle being operated. Some people have switched to hands free phones with the belief that such devices will lessen their chances of being involved in a distracted driving related car accident.
Lawyers, having seen many cases where a driver, even while using a hands-free device, has been distracted enough to cause an accident, know that the key to safe driving is to devote full attention to the road. Even with an increase in states requiring hands-free use of cell phones while driving, “hands-free” does not magically mean the driver is not a distracted driver. In 2009, sixteen percent of fatal crashes and twenty percent of injury crashes involved reported distracted driving. This is not a number to scoff at.
A car accident lawyer can assist when injuries have been sustained in a motor vehicle accident. The scope of injuries sustained can vary greatly, and can be quite severe. Decreasing the risk of injuries can be achieved by not using any type of distracting device while driving. In an instant, lives can be changed in an auto accident. Attorneys in Denver are well aware of the risks of distracted driving. Drivers who need legal advice regarding distracted driving cases should call a car accident lawyer, but not while they are driving.
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