Distracted Driving That Causes Accidents

Many people are familiar with the fact that drinking while driving causes accidents, but do not realize that driving while distracted can cause serious accidents as well. Examples of harmful distracted driving include:

-Reaching for a moving object inside the vehicle
-Looking at an object or event outside of the vehicle
-Reading
-Applying makeup

Whether someone is late for work or an important appointment, they may justify risky behavior and use the cell phone or even eat while driving because they think it will only happen just this time.

However, driving while being distracted by anything can be a huge cause for accidents. Perhaps you know of someone who was involved in a car accident because of a distracted driver. According to the NHTSA and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI), 80% of crashes and 65% of near-crashes involve some form of driver distraction.

Determining Negligent Drivers in a South Carolina Car Accident

If you have been involved in a car accident, whether it was caused by distracted driving, other negligent behavior, or in rare cases, something else, determining the negligent drivers (as there are typically more than 1) comes down to a percentage calculation called modified comparative negligence or the '51% rule.'

In simple terms the 51% rule means negligent drivers can only recover damages if they were responsible for 50% or less of the South Carolina car accident. Of course, distracted drivers and the act of distracted driving can figure hugely into this calculation.

If you were involved in an accident, you should probably be prepared for the inevitable fight over the gray area when determining exactly when someone was a distracted driver and to what degree they were acting negligently. A personal injury lawyer can take some of the pain away of being involved in a distracted driving accident by helping you to get the compensation that you deserve.

If you are reading this article because you were recently involved in a car accident it is recommended you speak to a qualified personal injury attorney immediately. According to most car accident laws, you have three years from the accident to file a claim, but it is always best to act quickly while evidence is still fresh and witnesses are available.

Texting as a Form of Distracted Driving

The New York Times reported in a 2009 article that American teenagers sent and received an average of 2,272 text messages per month- that is an average of more than seventy-five a day! While chatting often plays an integral role in young people's lives today, it can also cause dangerous distracted driving.

It is not just teenagers who are guilty of occasionally being a kind of negligent driver and picking up the cell phone; all types of distracted driving and distracted drivers can cause a serious car accident.

After an Accident with a Distracted Driver

Even if you are lucky enough not to be seriously injured, car accident law naturally includes distracted driving as a determination for negligence, which could entitle you to compensation from those liable. Everyone should understand the simple and potentially lifesaving logic of waiting a few minutes to read or return a text, or even to grab that item from the passenger seat or glove box.

If you were injured in a car accident, which may or may not have been the result of distracted driving, a personal injury attorney can help build a strong case on your behalf, while you focus on recovery.


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Shelly Leeke is a personal injury attorney in the Charleston, South Carolina area. She offers free reports and information for accident victims and their families. If you or someone you know has been affected by a wrongful death, visit the Shelly Leeke Law Firm website for more information.