April 12, 2018

How Many Car Accidents Are Caused by Cell Phones?

Nearly everyone depends on their cell phone for checking social media, making calls, and sending text messages. When people need to travel or run errands, their phone is going with them. They may even use a navigation app on their phone that helps direct them to their destination. Unfortunately, many people try to use their phones while they’re driving and cause car accidents that can injure or kill people.

If you’ve been injured in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, you can seek legal aid. An Atlanta distracted driving accident lawyer from Bey & Associates can help you get the compensation you need. Car accident injuries can prevent you from working, which can cause financial stress. We’re here to provide peace of mind that someone is standing up for your rights.

Cell Phone and Car Accident Statistics

USA Today reported on the National Safety Council’s injury and fatality report. According to the report, cell phones caused 26 percent of car accidents in the U.S. in 2014. Text messaging causes 5 percent of crashes.

Any time the driver is distracted with a cell phone in hand, they’re driving dangerously and are risking other lives on the road as well as their own. Holding a phone to talk, use the voice-to-text option, or scrolling to pick the next song means that one hand is off the wheel, which greatly reduces the driver’s control of the vehicle. They won’t be able to maneuver safely or quickly if an emergency happens.

Using a phone also means the driver’s eyes and focus are now on completing a task with the phone instead of the road. Taking eyes off the road for a second can have dire consequences, especially when one is traveling at high speeds on highways. If someone needs to brake, avoid, or use their horn to alert another driver about something, they may not have enough time because they weren’t paying attention.

Car Accident Injuries

Car accidents can cause major injuries. The impact of a crash can cause concussions and whiplash, which affect your head and your neck. Concussions can impair cognition and both injuries can cause painful headaches. Other crash injuries include broken bones, sprains, and sometimes objects can penetrate people in the car. These injuries usually need medical attention.

The dangers of car accident injuries are that they’re not always evident right after the crash. The shock from the trauma can mask symptoms and make people feel like nothing is wrong with them. If you’ve been in a crash, you need to see a doctor regardless of how you feel. They will be able to tell if anything is wrong with you and begin treatment immediately.

Seeing a doctor as soon as possible is also helpful to your car accident claim. Waiting too long could allow your injuries to worsen and you’ll need more treatment or require a longer recovery. But you could also not get full compensation for your injuries. Medical bills and future expenses for treatment or rehabilitation can get expensive, so you want to do all you can to help you claim and not jeopardize it.

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