Car accidents are frustrating when the damage is relatively small, and potentially devastating when the damage to vehicle and person are severe. A specialist, meaning a car accident attorney, is a potential ally when assigning blame. With today’s headlines about the dangers of driving while distracted, it can be helpful to know what you can do to protect yourself after the fact. In a perfect world, we would all be perfect conscientious drivers. As the truth is far from that ideal, below you will find a few pointers about when to seek a truck accident lawyer.
The Truth About Driving Distractions.
Do you drive with distractions? First, it may be helpful to identify what qualifies as a distraction. Everyday, about 660,000 people will use their cell phone at some point while driving. You know texting is one, as talking on the phone. So you may assume a hands-free solution is perfectly alright. It is not, actually: talking on the phone is a distraction, whether it both hands are on the wheel or not. Talking with the other members of the car counts as distracting, as does handling a radio such as a big truck might have. Changing the music or radio stations, eating/ drinking, looking at GPS or a map- all of these distract you from the road. When you are behind the wheel, you are expected to be ignore these things and focus solely on the road.
Fatigued Driving Is Always a Bad Idea.
Have you driven somewhere while you were tired? Road trips and rides home from long days at work make driving while fatigued the norm. But any car accident lawyer knows that a sleepy driver is not able to focus properly. Delayed reaction times could (and frequently do) lead to accidents. There is one group of drivers known for their long hours on the road: truckers. These workers frequently push past fatigue.
Yet mistakes happen, and when the driver of a heavy truck dozes off, even for a second or two, disaster can follow. Truck accident lawyers know that truckers are held to a higher standard because of the damage their vehicle can quickly inflict upon other vehicles. In 2012 alone, it was found that 81% of fatal semi-truck accidents involved damage to another vehicle, compared to 58% fatality for smaller passenger cars.
Is a Personal Injury Lawyer Worth It?
When there is a terrible accident, people (and insurance companies) need to assign blame. Someone was at fault, and each side will attempt to prove their innocence or the other side’s guilt. As it can be difficult to do this alone, especially when inexperienced with law suits, it is recommended that one seeks out a truck accident lawyer, or a lawyer who specializes in these types of cases.
You may think that it is no big deal if you quickly check your phone while driving. It may be a text, or answering a phone call, or changing the song on the radio, or even checking directions. Doing any one of these visual-manual subtasks puts you at three-times the risk of a car accident. Think of yourself, and the other drivers on the road, before you take your eyes off the road. And when it is after-the-fact and you find yourself facing a lawsuit, call a lawyer to see what your options are.