Distracted driving has been on the rise in Pennsylvania and across the United States. Traffic safety experts report that distracted driving is a factor in more than eight out of every 10 car accidents in the nation. Inattentive driving is responsible for more than 3,000 traffic deaths each year across the country.
While mobile electronic devices are often the focus of laws passed to curb distracted driving and are certainly a factor in increased incidence of the behavior, they are not the sole distractions faced by drivers. Distracted driving is caused by anything that may cause you to divert your attention away from the task of driving. You may be distracted by anything from eating or drinking in the car to putting on makeup or checking on children in the back seat.
An episode of distracted driving may only last a few seconds, but that is still sufficient time to cause an accident. Unfortunately, this makes it difficult for law enforcement officers to detect distracted driving and enforce laws against it. It also means that no matter how defensive a driver you may be, you may not be able to protect yourself from an accident caused by another inattentive motorist.
If you or someone close to you was involved in a motor vehicle that was caused by a distracted driver, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, damage and other losses. However, because distracted driving is often difficult to prove, you will need the assistance of an experienced personal injury attorney, such as those of Fanelli, Evans and Patel. We have years of experience helping victims of accidents recover from negligent and careless drivers. Visit our firm’s website to see how we have helped other victims of distracted driving car accidents.