Don’t Let Distracted Driving Lead to a Car Accident in the SFV This Summer

Distracted driving occurs whenever a driver’s attention is divided between the responsibility of driving and another item or event. Common distractions include cell phones and other devices; talking to someone inside the car; eating, drinking, or doing personal grooming tasks; and watching something outside the car rather than paying attention to the road.

Distractions can take many forms, but the riskiest types are those that distract the driver’s brain, hands, and eyes all at once. For this reason, texting on a cell phone is one of the most dangerous kinds of distracted driving. Many U.S. states, including California, have banned texting while driving for precisely this reason. California also requires drivers who want to talk on a cell phone to use a hands-free device, such as a headset, instead of holding the phone while talking.

In California, drivers under age 18 may not use a cell phone at all while driving, even if they use a hands-free device. This prohibition helps protect younger drivers, who are at a much higher risk of suffering an accident caused by distracted driving. According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), 16 percent of all teenage drivers killed in car accidents in 2009 died in crashes that were found to have been caused by distracted driving.

If you have been injured in a car crash that involved a distracted driver, please don’t hesitate to call the experienced car accident attorneys in the San Fernando Valley at The Mandell Law Firm. We diligently use our legal resources and practical experience to fight for the compensation our clients deserve from negligent parties. Call us today at 818-886-6600 for a free consultation.