Talking and Driving Accidents

Talking on the phone behind the wheel is far more dangerous than talking to a passenger. According to a university study, drivers who are talking on the phone are more than three times as likely to cause an accident. This is one reason why many states have enacted bans on handheld cell phone use (Texas’s handheld ban currently only applies to drivers with learner’s permits), and the primary reason why many safety advocates say laws that still permit hands-free calling don’t go far enough.

We’ve all seen drivers talking on the phone. Whether a driver is holding a cell phone or chatting away in an empty car, that driver is distracted. This means that he or she is a hazard to other motorists, and that he or she deserves to be held accountable when something goes wrong.

If you were injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver, we can help you win just compensation. We have helped our clients recover millions of dollars in compensation, and we take an aggressive approach in cases involving distracted driving. We can quickly collect the evidence needed to prove your claim; and, once we determine what your case is worth, attorney Ronald A. Ramos will fight to win the compensation you deserve.

3 Reasons Why Talking and Driving is Dangerous

Why is talking on the phone so much more dangerous than talking to a passenger? Researchers point to a few different factors:

• When we ask our brains to perform two tasks (like talking on the phone and paying attention to the road), they cannot perform either task as well as when performing each task independently.
• With regard to handheld cell phone use, holding a phone means that a driver only has one hand available to steer and use turn signals.
• When driving with a passenger, the passenger is able to see and react to traffic and road conditions. A passenger’s communication structure will generally reflect any concerns about traffic (for example, passengers tend to stop speaking under tense circumstances), and passengers can warn distracted drivers of potential risks on the road.

Of course, this does not mean that talking to a passenger is necessarily safe. From drivers and passengers engaging in horseplay to drivers looking over their shoulders to talk to backseat passengers, there are numerous ways that carrying a passenger (or multiple passengers) can increase a driver’s risk of causing an accident as well.

Cell Phone Records in Personal Injury Claims

In San Antonio distracted driving accidents, there will often be several pieces of evidence available to help prove that the at-fault driver was distracted. For example, the police report may indicate that the driver was distracted, or witnesses may be able to testify to seeing the driver holding a phone. In addition, another key piece of evidence is the driver’s cell phone bill. If you believe that the driver who hit you was talking on the phone, we can seek to obtain a copy of his or her phone records to prove that distracted driving was a factor in your accident.

Call or Click to Speak with an Experienced Accident Attorney in San Antonio, TX

To learn more about your rights after a cell phone-related accident in the San Antonio area, please call (210) 308-8811 or request a consultation online. Your initial consultation is free and confidential; and, at Ronald A. Ramos Law Office, you pay nothing unless we help you win just compensation.