It is not uncommon to see drivers with their eyes glued to their phones, even when their vehicles are in motion. Unfortunately, the rise of smartphones has led to a rise in distracted driving crashes. As technology becomes more and more a part of our daily lives, these incidents are becoming more common. At Russell & Hill, PLLC, our knowledgeable and experienced team is ready to help if you have been injured in a crash with a distracted driver. Let our Seattle car accident attorneys investigate your case today.
What we know about distracted and cell phone driving
When we look at the latest year of data available from the Washington Department of Transportation, we see that there were 115,999 total accidents. Out of those, there were:
- 494 fatal crashes
- 1,936 suspected serious injury crashes
- 7,766 suspected minor injury crashes
- 25,012 possible injury crashes
The DOT also tracks how many of those accidents were attributed to cell phone use:
- 3 fatal crashes
- 11 suspected serious injury incidents
- 57 suspected minor injury incidents
- 170 possible injury incidents
- 479 cases where there was no apparent injury (but still had property damage)
30% of all crash fatalities and 23% of all serious crashes in Washington are the results of distracted driving. The state says that 70% of all distracted drivers were using their cell phones.
- Drivers are three times more likely to be in a crash when talking on a cell phone.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says that around 9 people are killed and 1,000 are injured each day in the US due to distracted driver crashes. When specifically addressing cell phones, the CDC says that” At 55 mph, sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for about 5 seconds, long enough to cover a football field.”
In the state of Washington, it is illegal to hold your cell phone while driving. You can only use a cell phone if you are using a hands-free device that can be started with one touch or swipe, while parked or out of the flow of traffic, or when contacting emergency services.
Injuries from distracted driving crashes can be severe. It is not uncommon for us to see the following:
- Broken and dislocated bones
- Severe lacerations
- Internal organ damage
- Internal bleeding
- Spinal cord injuries
- Whiplash injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Concussions
We are ready to help with these cases
If you or a loved one have been injured in a vehicle accident that was caused by a driver distracted by their cell phone, please seek legal assistance immediately. At Russell & Hill, PLLC, we understand these cases and will work to ensure you are treated fairly and are compensated for the following:
- All medical bills related to the crash
- Lost wages and benefits if you cannot work
- General household expenses
- Possible physical therapy expenses
- Pain and suffering damages
- Possible punitive damages against a negligent party
If you need a Seattle car accident attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 800-529-0842.