Birmingham Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer

Alabama Distracted Driving Statistics

Every day in the U.S. more than 9 people are killed and more than 1,153 people are injured due to accidents reportedly caused by a distracted driver. Drivers can become distracted by a number of things both inside and outside the vehicle. Any one of these can cause a serious road accident. Distracted driving, whatever the cause, is dangerous and increases the risk of an auto accident.

• Texting or using a hand-held mobile phone. Texting is completely prohibited for commercial truck drivers and they may only use a hands-free phone which is located close by.
• Smoking. Lighting a cigarette, smoking and putting ash in the tray are all serious driving distractions.
• Eating and drinking. A driver who is eating or drinking is 3.6 times more likely to cause an accident.
• Reading or using maps. This creates a dangerous driving distraction because the driver's attention is drawn from the road.
• Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player. Even looking away from the road for just a few seconds can lead to fatal mistakes.
• Outside distractions. Objects, persons or events outside the car can be dangerous distractions.
• Substance abuse. Using drugs or alcohol when driving will seriously impair the driver's ability and concentration.

Essentially, drivers are not allowed to use any type of text-based communication advice while driving. This also includes using GPS apps or devices while the vehicle is in motion and while the driver is operating the vehicle. Interestingly, the law does not mention video chatting, gaming, or streaming.

Alabama Cell Phone Laws

Alabama has a number of primary laws in place to help prevent distracted driving. These include:

• Prohibiting all cell phone use, both handheld and hands-free, for bus drivers.
• Prohibiting all cell phone use, both handheld and hands-free, for all drivers under the age of 18.
• Prohibiting texting for drivers of all ages.

A primary law is one that allows the officer to stop a vehicle, whereas under secondary laws, an officer must have another reason to stop a vehicle before citing a driving for using a cellphone. Blue Tooth technology or hands-free devices are allowed for drivers who are age 19 and older. The penalty for texting while driving is $25 for the first offense, then $50 then $75. The driver will also receive two points against his or her license each time.

The Dangers of Texting While Driving

There are many forms of distracted driving, though texting and driving is undoubtedly one of the most predominant problems on the road. In fact, it is such a serious issue that campaigns now exist imploring drivers to set their phones aside for the sake of their own safety and the safety of others. Why is texting and driving dangerous? We compiled a few reasons below:

• It diverts your attention from the road: If you are reading or responding to a text, the fact is that you will have to look away from the road. Even if it is only for a matter of seconds, this can still lead to a terrible, even fatal accident. On average, a driver looks away from the road for about five seconds to send or read a message. This might not sound like enough time for something to go wrong, but if you are traveling about 55 miles per hour, it is all you need to drive a distance that is equal to a football field. If your eyes are not on the road during that time, imagine just how much can potentially go wrong. Texting while driving increases the chance of a crash by 23 times, so wait until you are safely parked or out of your vehicle before reading or responding to a text.