Distracted Driving Accident Lawyers

The emergence of smartphones and on-board infotainment systems has led to a dangerous epidemic of distracted driving. At every moment of the day, it is estimated that more than 660,000 people are using their cellphones while driving. In 2017 alone, distracted drivers claimed 3,166 lives and caused thousands of injuries, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The National Safety Council has reported that cellphone use while driving causes more than 1.6 million crashes every single year. Even worse, because it is often difficult to prove distracted driving, these statistics may be just the tip of the iceberg.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a distracted driving accident, your whole world may have been turned upside down in the blink of an eye. You are entitled to seek compensation for your injuries and for the damages you have suffered. The at-fault distracted driver is responsible for compensating you and your loved ones after a serious accident.

Unfortunately, receiving the money you need – and deserve – isn’t always easy. Without an experienced Arkansas and Tennessee car accident attorney on your side, you may not recover enough to pay all of your expenses and losses both now and in the future. At Rainwater, Holt & Sexton, our distracted driving attorneys are here to help every step of the way.

We’ll connect you with a talented car accident lawyer to ensure that you get the full compensation you deserve.

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Texting While Driving

Texting while driving is so dangerous because it involves all three types of distractions at once. In order to send and receive text messages, you need to look at the screen, think of what you want to say, then use your fingers to type the message. States across the country have enacted anti-texting laws and bans to prevent texting while driving.

Arkansas has some of the strictest cell phone laws in the country.  In 2009 Arkansas made it illegal for anyone in the state to text on an electronic device while driving. Drivers who are caught texting and driving could be ticketed and fined up to $100. In March 2017, Arkansas enacted Paul’s law,  a piece of legislation that increased the penalties for texting drivers and included penalties for any use of social media or smartphones while driving.

Paul’s law was named after a Jonesboro father of three who was killed in a head-on collision by a driver who was typing a text at the time. This law increases the penalties for each additional offense, similar to the state’s DUI laws.

There are some notable exceptions to the law. Drivers are allowed to use their smartphones if they’re reporting illegal activity, trying to get medical or emergency assistance, trying to prevent an injury to a person or property, or using a GPS system.

Using a Navigation App

Arkansas drivers are allowed to use map apps and navigational apps while they are driving. However, the Department of Transportation warns that this can be just as dangerous as texting and driving. If you need to use navigation while driving, it is best to set your destination in the app ahead of time before you hit the road. Once you’ve set your destination, turn on voice navigation and resist the urge to look at the map while you are driving. If you need to reroute or choose a different destination, pull off of the road and go somewhere safe to avoid driving distracted.

Prohibited Areas

In Arkansas, two areas prohibit ALL wireless phone usage of any kind:

• School zones:  When children are present or during the school days when children may be outside of the school, drivers are not allowed to use their phones at all while driving.
• Highway work zones:  When workers are present, all drivers are required by law to put their phones down and avoid using them for any reason.

Cellphones are responsible for numerous traffic deaths, distracted driving accidents, pedestrian accidents, and child fatalities. In fact, they account for 15% of all driving fatalities in the United States every year.