Manchester Distracted Driving Attorney
Technologies and social media that divert our attention away from the task at hand are more prevalent than ever. Texting while driving or using both hands to operate an electronic or telecommunications device is a violation of New Hampshire law, yet thousands of drivers every day can’t resist the urge to read and respond to a text or check-in for a status update. Even hands-free use of technology is distracting, including the use of smartphones or systems built into the car for navigation or “infotainment.”
Just as people know that speeding and drunk driving are dangerous yet do it anyway, we all know that looking at our phones instead of the road can be deadly for ourselves or others on the road, but for some reason we think we can manage this dangerous task safely. Unfortunately, the statistics tell a different story. Distracted driving is responsible for a large number of injuries and deaths on the road and is implicated in as many as one-third of traffic accidents.
Distracted driving is negligent and dangerous, and distracted drivers can and should be held accountable for the injuries and damages they cause. In New Hampshire, the Manchester distracted driving attorneys at the Law Office of Manning Zimmerman & Oliveira PLLC have decades of experience helping car accident victims recover much-needed compensation after being harmed in a crash that was not their fault. Our lawyers have the knowledge, skills, experience and dedication needed to help you get the medical care and compensation you need if you’ve been hit by a distracted driver in New Hampshire.
What does “distracted driving” actually mean? The concept of distracted driving was around long before cellphones existed, but more awareness has been given to distracted driving as more and more distractions have become part of our daily experience in recent years. Safety researchers identify three different categories of driving distractions: cognitive, visual and manual.
Cognitive distractions mean your mind is pulled away from the vital task of driving. If you are reading a text or plugging your destination into an onboard navigation screen, you are not concentrating on the road. Cognitive distractions can also be something as simple as getting involved in conversations with others, whether on the phone or with the people in the car with you. As the driver, it’s important to remember that your main and most important job is driving safely, even if that means refusing to engage too much with others who are present in the car or hitting you up on social media.
Visual distractions mean your eyes are off the road. This can be checking your phone, looking at a map, or going over your notes for an upcoming appointment. Taking your eyes off the road for five seconds is long enough to travel the length of a football field at highway speeds. Considering how quickly traffic patterns can change or objects can appear in the road, even a brief visual distraction can be deadly.
Manual distractions mean your hands are off the wheel. Manual distractions include holding a phone, texting or making selections on an in-vehicle display. They also include eating, applying makeup and personal grooming.
In reading the above examples, you may have noticed that some activities involve more than one type of distraction, and some actions include all three. The more different kinds of distractions at play, the riskier the behavior, but even one type of distraction is enough to cause an accident.
Manning Zimmerman & Oliveira PLLC Work to Raise Awareness about the Dangers of Distracted Driving
At the Law Office of Manning Zimmerman & Oliveira PLLC, our Manchester car accident attorneys have worked enough crashes caused by distracted driving to know what a menace this activity can be. To help raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving, we established a scholarship program which asks students to record and share a video about the problem of distracted driving and possible solutions. Winners are awarded a $1,000 scholarship to aid in their postsecondary education. Visit our Scholarships page to learn more.
Get Professional and Dedicated Legal Help after a New Hampshire Distracted Driving Car Accident
If you’ve been hurt in a car accident caused by a distracted driver in Concord, Nashua or throughout New Hampshire, call the Law Office of Manning Zimmerman & Oliveira PLLC for a free consultation with our experienced and dedicated Manchester distracted driving accident attorneys.
