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Shreveport Injury Lawyer > Shreveport Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer

Shreveport Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer

More than half of all injury crashes nationwide are caused by distracted driving. Distracted driving has overtaken speeding, drunk driving and other negligent driving behaviors to become the leading cause of crashes. Why is distracted driving so dangerous, and why have distracted driving car accidents been rising more and more every year? See below to learn more about distracted driving, and call Rice & Kendig in Shreveport-Bossier City if a distracted driver has hurt you or a loved one in a North Louisiana auto accident.

What is Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving is fairly recent as a common, popular term, but distracted driving has been with us for decades. Nowadays, when people think of distracted driving, most people instantly think about texting while driving or talking on a handheld cellphone while driving. Our phones probably are our greatest distraction these days, and every day they are being loaded up with more and more apps to keep us informed and entertained. The explosion of social media apps in recent years has arguably had the greatest impact on luring us onto our phones for constant status updates and fear of missing out on the latest news regarding our friends, families, and the people and stories we follow. Other recent distracting technologies include the onboard infotainment systems built into our cars, such as GPS navigation, DVD players, and a wealth of information available at our fingertips.

Distracted driving is nothing new, however. Distracted driving refers to any activity which takes one’s attention off of the critical task of driving. All of the traditional distracting behaviors drivers used to do are still with us today, on top of texting and driving or holding a cellphone to talk. Other forms of distracted driving include:

  • Eating
  • Putting on makeup
  • Shaving
  • Dressing
  • Reading
  • Getting lost in thought
  • Getting overly involved in a conversation with passengers

Safety researchers recognize three categories of driving distractions: manual, visual and cognitive. Manual distractions are activities that take your hands off the wheel. Visual distractions are those that take your eyes off the road, and cognitive distractions refer to behaviors that pull your attention away from driving. By looking at the examples above, you’ll notice that many distracting behaviors involve more than one type of distraction or even all three. The more distractions involved, the greater the risk of a crash, and the longer it takes for a driver to refocus on the road after stopping the dangerous distraction.

Louisiana Distracted Driving Laws

Texting while driving is illegal in Louisiana. This includes reading, writing or sending a text, email or instant message. It is also against the law to read or post to social media or even access social media while driving. Texting while driving is a primary offense, meaning the police don’t need another excuse to pull you over and cite you for violating the law.

Louisiana does not have a general law regarding talking on a cellphone while driving, but drivers with a learner’s permit or intermediate license can only use a phone hands-free. Also, drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from talking on the phone at all while driving. Phone use is prohibited for all drivers in a school zone during posted school hours.

Causing a crash while engaging in one of these illegal behaviors is strong evidence of negligence and can be used to hold the driver liable to injury victims for the damage caused. Rice & Kendig uses evidence of a citation as well as other evidence of distracted driving to hold the driver accountable and recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other legal damages. Drivers need to be held accountable for their negligence, and sizeable settlements or jury verdicts can help raise awareness to others about the consequences of texting while driving or other distracted driving behaviors.

Dedicated and Successful Car Accident Attorneys for Shreveport-Bossier City Distracted Driving Accidents

If you or a loved one has been injured in a distracted driving car wreck in Shreveport-Bossier City or North Louisiana, call Rice & Kendig injury lawyers at 318-222-2772 for a free consultation with a skilled and experienced Shreveport-Bossier City auto accident attorney.

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1030 Kings Highway
Shreveport, Louisiana 71104
Office: 318-222-2772
Shreveport-Bossier City

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