texting while driving

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National Safety Council spokesperson Janet Frutscher stated that texting while driving should be equated with drunk driving. The development of telecommunications technology has led to a large number of cell phone crashes, including in Orlando County. Drivers know that talking on the phone is dangerous while driving, yet the number of texting while driving incidents is increasing every year. In fact, according to many experts, texting while driving is the leading cause of fatal car accidents. The number of lawsuits related to texting while driving accidents is growing every year.

Orlando Texting While Driving Accident Attorneys

If you or a loved one has been injured in such an incident, you can count on our Orlando Cell phone accident lawyers for help. At the federal level, there is a directive for all cell phone carriers, i.e., to turn off the cell phone if the person is behind the wheel. However, as our attorneys’ practice shows, not all mobile telecommunications operators comply with this requirement. Some mobile operators deliberately distort the wording in their service contracts so as not to incur any liability. In this case, in addition to examining the circumstances of the case, it is necessary to determine the basic provisions of the service agreement. If you have been in a car accident related to texting while driving, contact a lawyer in Orlando to get a free consultation.

Can You Text While Driving in Florida?

Drivers are not allowed to text or make calls from their phones while driving. You may text while driving only if you stop your vehicle and do not interfere with others who are driving. Passengers are not subject to this rule, but they are not allowed to distract the driver. A driver in Orlando is fully responsible if he or she causes a cell phone incident. If the driver was a minor, his or her parents will be held liable.

Texting While Driving Is a Serious Problem

Approximately 66% of U.S. driver respondents admitted to texting while driving. However, 45% said that they hold the phone with one hand and the steering wheel with the other while driving. A similar situation is reported in Orlando. In Florida, the number of crashes related to texting while driving has increased significantly in recent years. To date, the top counties for cell phone incidents are Miami-Dade and Broward. Attorneys remind all drivers that Section 316.305 of the Florida Statutes states that it is illegal to manually send text messages, emails, and other information via a mobile device while driving. Under the Florida Statutes provision, all Orlando texting accident lawyers treat the incident as a distracted driving situation when filing a claim.

Teens and Texting: A Dangerous Combination

The state allows underage citizens to drive cars. Unfortunately, according to our cell phone accident attorney, many crashes involve teens texting and chatting on messengers. This is the leading cause of crashes, including fatal ones. If an accident is caused by a teenager who was driving a car, in some cases his or her parents or guardians will be held responsible. The age limit for liability can be as high as 21.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has some interesting statistics on distracted driving, which includes texting while driving.
Texting and phone calls received while driving are irrelevant to driver respondents under the age of 24 – 61%.
Drivers 18-20 years old are highly likely to text back on the phone (44%), while in the 21-24 age group, the amount is 49%.
Respondents-drivers in the 18-20 age group send emails (73%); in the 21-24 age group, the amount is 68%.
More driver respondents under the age of 25 believe that sending messages while driving does not create dangerous situations on the road as compared to driver respondents in the older age group.

Lawyers also draw attention to a study by medical professionals who say that use of a phone while driving decreases human brain activity by 33%. During an crash, reaction time is reduced by 35%.

Know Your Rights If You Are Injured by Someone Texting While Driving

By law, if you are injured in a distracted driving accident, the driver is liable. If you have proper insurance, the person who caused the incident will pay you compensation. The involvement of an attorney in resolving the case will help the injured party properly file a claim against both their insurance company and the insurance company of the other party to the accident, including the driver. Also, you should see a doctor within 14 days to document your medical condition. After that, you can contact our lawyer and get help in drawing up a claim for compensation for medical expenses and rehabilitation. Under Florida law, you have exactly four years to file a car accident claim.

Schedule a Free Consultation

The cell phone has become a phenomenon in modern life. We can’t imagine ourselves without one, but many drivers use them while driving. If you or a loved one has been injured in a cell phone incident, contact our texting accident attorney for a free initial consultation. You can make an appointment by phone or through the website’s contact form. After your message is processed, a specialist will contact you with more details.

References and Resources:

https://arrivealivetour.com/teens-texting-and-driving-facts/

https://justcallmoe.com/texting-while-driving-accidents/

https://www.anidjarlevine.com/areas-we-serve/orlando-fl/car-accident-lawyer/texting-while-driving/

https://injuryattorneyflorida.com/personal-injury-attorneys-distracted-driving-texting-driving/

https://www.floridaautolawyers.com/cell-phone-car-accidents/

https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/812_381_distracteddriving2015.pdf

https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/811555.pdf