A distracted driver can cause car accidents in a matter of seconds. The results could be low speed bumps in a crowded parking lot or high speed crashes on a highway. Victims of crashes caused by distracted drivers can suffer from devastating injuries that can prevent them from working, require hospitalization, and cause considerable pain and financial stress. If this has happened to you, you don’t have to go through it alone. A Baltimore distracted driving accident lawyer from Belsky & Horowitz, LLC can help you with your claim.
We’re proud to stand up for the rights of Maryland citizens who have been unlawfully injured. We’ll do everything we can to investigate your case to prove that the other party was negligent and get you the compensation you deserve. With our help, you could receive financial compensation for lost wages, loss of earnings, pain and suffering, medical expenses, property damage, and more.
Distracted Driving in Baltimore
Maryland drivers have caused many crashes due to distracted driving. The Maryland Department of Transportation reported statistics on distracted driving from 2012-2016 that show what a threat distracted driving is to its citizens.
The five year average for Maryland distracted driver accidents from 2012-2016:
- There were 52,473 total average crashes.
- 158 were fatal crashes.
- 18,087 were injury crashes.
- 34,228 were property damage crashes.
- The total of all fatalities was 173 and number injured was 26,894.
The five year average for distracted drivers in Baltimore City from 2012-2016:
- There were 6,290 total average crashes.
- 1,739 was the five year average for injury crashes.
- 4 was the give year injury for fatal crashes.
Distracted driving can do more than cause injuries, it can take lives. If you’ve lost a loved one because of a negligent distracted driver, you can seek justice for them. Belsky & Horowitz, LLC will help you with your wrongful death claim and give your loved one a voice.
What Are Major Driving Distractions?
Nearly anything can distract a driver from the road. When driving, a person’s hands need to both be on the wheel, their eyes need to be on the road, and they need to be focused on driving. Trying to complete a task or focusing on something else will make the driver distracted.
While some people may think that it’s obvious that drivers shouldn’t be doing anything else when they’re behind the wheel, others will attempt to multitask. There’s a false sense of security that comes with multitasking. When drivers do something else while they’re driving and don’t get into an accident, they believe that they’re skilled and can continue to multitask. But it only means they were lucky and didn’t happen to get in an accident even though they were exhibiting risky behavior.
Some common forms of driving distractions are:
- Cell Phones. Many people bring their cell phones with them wherever they go, but they’re a huge distraction to drivers. Maryland is a hands-free state, which means no one can be on their phone while driving. Some drivers may be tempted to answer text messages while driving or to check notifications if they hear their phone buzz or ring. There’s also a chance they’re using their phone to play music or as a navigation device. All these actions divert the driver’s attention to the phone and they won’t know if they’re drifting from their lane, speeding, or if another car quickly stops in front of them.
- Radio. Even though nearly every car comes with a radio, fiddling with dials and trying to find a station can be a distraction. It’s safer to find a station before getting on the road and sticking with that station.
- Eating/Drinking. Whether it’s getting a quick coffee for work or you’re eating a meal on a long drive, trying to do these actions while driving is dangerous. If your trip is short, safely place the food or drink in your car and wait until you get to your destination. On longer trips, it may be tempting to eat on the way and save time, but it’s safer to get out, stretch, and stop to eat.
- Passengers. This distraction puts everyone at risk of getting into an accident, but especially new teenage drivers. With another passenger in the car, the driver will most likely have a conversation with them, but this can keep them from focusing on the road. Multiple passengers mean more noise and distractions. While this doesn’t mean that everyone needs to drive by themselves, new drivers may want to start out this way and experienced drivers should be aware and put safety first.
- Directions. Phones aren’t the only navigation tool that can distract drivers. Trying to read a map or directions can be dangerous. It’s better to take time to know where you’re going and pull over when you need to consult directions.
- Gawking. People can get distracted by anything in their view. They turn their heads completely from the windshield to see pretty scenery, interesting wildlife, or try to see the damage from a car accident.
Because people can choose to not do these things when they drive, it means that most distracted driving accidents and the injuries they cause are preventable. You don’t deserve to have extreme financial burden because a driver acted negligently.
We Can Prove Distracted Driving Caused Your Car Accident
Cell phones are usually the cause of a distracted driving accident, but there’s a chance the at-fault driver won’t admit that they were on their phone while driving. But this doesn’t mean they’re off the hook. The lawyers at Belsky & Horowitz, LLC will investigate your car accident case to find the cause of the accident. When distracted driving is the concern, we can prove that they were texting or speaking on the phone while driving through their cell phone records.
Get Help from a Baltimore Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer
If you’ve been injured in a distracted driving accident and you weren’t at fault, don’t let insurance companies try to make you settle your case early and end up with a settlement that’s less than you deserve. Contact us for a free consultation at (800) 895-5333. You’ll meet with a skilled distracted driving lawyer who will go over your case and figure out the best way to help you.
