Omaha Distracted Driving Lawyers

Distracted Driving Car Accidents

Far too many motorists underestimate the potential dangers of distracted driving. The lives of thousands of people have been changed in the second it takes for a driver to become distracted and cause an accident. 448,000 individuals suffered injuries in auto accidents in 2009 that were reported to have been caused by distracted driving practices. In addition, over 1.3 million collisions per year take place because of the issue, according to the National Safety Council.

What Causes Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving takes on several forms, but it’s typically broken down into three main categories: 1) Visual (when a driver takes his/ her eyes away from the road), Using a cell phone can slow driver response time equal to that of having a blood alcohol level of .08 percent, the legal limit.2) Manual (when a driver removes his/ her hands from the steering wheel), and 3) Mental (when a driver allows his/ her mind to drift away from the main responsibility of driving).

Some of the main causes of distracted driving range from the following: texting while driving, talking on a cell phone, eating, drinking, talking to passengers, brushing hair, putting on makeup, reading, using a GPS, interacting with pets, watching a video, using a hand-held device, and changing a CD or radio. Anyone who is emotionally charged, thinking of personal issues, or even daydreaming, can be distracted from safe operation of their motor vehicle.

Out of all the types of distracted driving, texting is thought to be the most dangerous because it exercises all three forms of distraction: visual, manual, and mental.

Driver Distraction Statistics

According to 2009 studies by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and the University of Utah, 20 percent of the 1,517,000 reported crashes resulting in injury involved distracted driving. People who used hand-held devices while driving were four times as likely to get into accidents severe enough to cause injury to themselves. Using a cell phone, hand-held or hands-free, can slow driver response time equal to that of having a blood alcohol level of .08 percent, the legal limit. Data from another 2009 NHTSA nationwide survey indicated that at any given minute during daytime hours, 672,000 vehicles were being operated by an individual using a hand-held cell phone, amounting to about 9 percent of all vehicles on the road.

Nebraska Distracted Driving Laws

Like the majority of U.S. states, Nebraska bans all drivers from texting. The state also bans all cell phone use (hand-held and hands-free) by beginner drivers under the age of 18, with a learner’s permit or provisional license.

Legal and Medical Leverage Working for You

The Nebraska traffic accident attorneys, who are also physicians, at Cullan & Cullan can help you understand your injuries as well as your legal rights, and properly fight your case in the courtroom. For a free case consultation, contact our lawyers today at 402-397-7600.

Recent Motor Vehicle Accident Case Results

Spring 2008 – Automobile Accident – Back Injury: Jury awards $125,000.00 in automobile accident with back injury. Offer of $15,000.00 prior to trial.

Winter 2008 – Automobile Accident – Back Injury: $85,000.00 settlement in automobile accident with back injury.