Although Dangerous, Many Americans Use Their Cellphones While Driving

Even though common sense and public awareness campaigns tell us not to use our cellphones while driving, many of us continue to do so. We have become so dependent on our phones that we often don’t think twice about picking it up to send a text or make a call, even while we’re driving. However, using a cellphone is one form of dangerous distracted driving that causes accidents resulting in victims suffering serious injuries and deaths. According to distraction.gov, distracted driving – including talking on a cellphone and texting – resulted in 3,154 deaths and 424,000 injuries in vehicle accidents in 2013. In addition, during the daytime, at any given moment approximately 660,000 drivers in our country are using their cell phones or manipulating other electronic devices while driving – a staggering number that continues to increase.

Five Ways Using a Cellphone Can Cause an Accident

It is illegal to use a handheld cell phone or similar device to talk or text while driving in Nevada. Since 2012, a driver can be fined up to $250 for talking, typing, or reading on a cellphone and driving.

Using cell phones while driving increases the number of accidents because use of the phones requires attention to be diverted from the road, leading to distracted driving. This is compounded by the fact that using a cellphone while driving, like eating, drinking, or fiddling with the music or a GPS, is mentally distracting. Ways it can contribute to an accident include:

  1. The person is only driving with one hand on the wheel – giving himself less control of his vehicle if he needs to take quick action.
  2. The driver’s eyes are off the road while he is reaching for his phone, searching for a telephone number, or texting.
  3. A person texting or talking on his cellphone cannot process everything he sees or monitor his surroundings closely because his attention is at least partially on his phone.
  4. When talking on a phone or texting, the driver’s reaction and response time is slower – dangerous when a split second decision may be needed to avoid an accident.
  5. A person is more likely to weave, veer out of his lane, or hit a guardrail or sign if his eyes and mind are on his phone rather than the road.

Have You Been Involved In A Car Accident?

In Nevada, if you’ve been injured in a car accident you need to speak with an experienced car accident lawyer in Las Vegas or Henderson as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our Henderson office directly at 702.405.6000 to schedule a free initial consultation.

Why Work with us?

Finding the right lawyer to represent your injury case can be extremely frustrating. However, with 35 years worth of experience and insider knowledge of how insurance companies work, the Jones Wilson law firm stands out from the crowd. Other attorneys pick and choose their clients based on case notoriety, but we’re here to help you, no matter how large or small your case.
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