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Distracted Driving in the D.C. Metro Area

PG County Personal Injury Lawyer Reveals Reasons Behind Many Car Accidents

You’ve been there before:  you’re driving along and your phone rings, so you answer it.  Or you’re hungry, so you grab a bite to eat while you’re on the road.  Or perhaps you want to change the radio station, so you scroll through the stations to find the perfect song.

These all seem like innocent, everyday actions, but your PG County Personal Injury Lawyer knows it can take just a few seconds for these small decisions to cause BIG problems.

What is Distracted Driving?

There are many misconceptions about distracted driving, and some people believe it involves being fully engaged in something else while driving.  However, the exact definition is more specific.  The website   https://www.dmv.org/distracted-driving.php says, “Distracted driving means driving while not fully paying attention to the road.” 

This means if another driver strikes your vehicle, is not concentrating on driving 100%, that driver is, in fact, a distracted driver. 

How dangerous is distracted driving?  The statistics speak for themselves.

The website also says, “Distracted driving crashes are steadily increasing year over year. In fact, the Center For Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nine people are killed every day in the U.S. as a result of crashes involving a distracted driver.”

Causes of Distracted Driving

With the use of mobile phones increasing in popularity, it’s no secret that the most common cause of distracted driving car accidents is texting and driving.  However, there are many other causes of distracted driving car accidents, some of which include:

  • Eating/Drinking
  • Putting on Make-up
  • Changing the radio
  • Mobile Phone Use (calling someone, texting, etc.)
  • Rubber-necking (looking at something else, such as another car accident)
  • Reaching for other items
  • Deep thought on something other than the road

If you are injured in an accident you suspect the at-fault driver was distracted, there are specific steps you need to take.

First, get medical attention for your injuries immediately.  Do NOT dismiss your injuries as minor.  A seemingly “small” injury could lead to something more serious.  It is best to utilize an ambulance for transportation when you are suffering from injuries.  This is not just for your health and well-being.  Your immediate need for medical attention will also serve as proof of the accident – and possibly the fact that the other driver was distracted. 

Without the use of an ambulance, you won’t have official documentation of the accident from the police officers, because when there are no injuries that require immediate medical attention, a police report is typically not filed.

Once you know your medical needs are being tended to, tell the police officer that you suspect the other driver may have been distracted.  This information should be noted in your police report that will support your insurance claim.

Next, call your PG County Personal Injury Lawer.

PG County Personal Injury Lawyer

Car accidents often involve increased stress levels from mounting medical bills and injuries sustained in the car accident.  Here at The Lapidus Law Firm, your PG County Personal Injury Lawyers have nearly four decades of experience representing people just like you.  Immediately after your free, no-obligation consultation, we begin working rigorously on your case with in-depth investigations and navigating the complexities of the Maryland car accident laws related to distracted driving.  

Call us today to get started at (301) 605-4296.  Our goal is to obtain a fair and reasonable settlement for you, but we can only help if you choose The Lapidus Law Firm for representation!

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