Distracted driving can be dangerous enough for experienced drivers in Missouri and Illinois, but add in the added risk of being an inexperienced driver, and driving while distracted can be even more dangerous. In fact, one study indicates that newly licensed drivers have a risk of being involved in crashes or near-crashes nearly 4 times higher than their parents when driving the exact same vehicles. Additionally, the odds of them braking too hard, over-correcting, or making overly sharp turns is 5.1 times higher than among their parents. These risk factors might concern many parents who just want to keep their children safe, and who hope to avoid having to contact a St. Louis personal injury attorney due to a car accident potentially caused by a distracted driver injuring their own child.
Some of the tasks which are considered to contribute to distracted driving dangers are adjusting the car radio, eating food, or talking to passengers; but over the past few years, talking on cell phones and texting while driving have become even more common dangers. Statistics indicate that at least 9% of drivers on the road each day either dial or talk on their cell phones while driving — or, even worse, send or read text messages while driving. Usage of cell phones while driving causes the risk of collisions to be at least 4 times more likely than in cases where cell phones were not used.
Cell phone usage can be a particularly dangerous form of distracted driving
With cell phone use, inexperienced drivers are particularly at higher risk for car crashes. Experiments have been conducted on test tracks involving both adolescents and more experienced drivers using cell phones. The young drivers proved to more often drive through a red or yellow light into an intersection. Even among experienced drivers, usage of cell phones has a detrimental effect on reaction time to road hazards, along with making a driver less likely to engage in appropriate amounts of visual scanning their surroundings.
Parents who hope to protect their young drivers from these dangers may find it interesting to note that all 50 states have now adopted at least some form of graduated driver licensing. The specific details vary from state to state, but these programs are meant to increase safety among young drivers by placing limits on what they can and can’t do while driving. In Missouri, for instance, all first-time drivers who are between the ages of 15 and 18 years of age must first complete a time period of driving with a licensed driver and then engage in a period of restricted driving (i.e., an intermediate license) before they can become eligible for a full driver license without restrictions.
An intermediate license prohibits the young driver from being able to drive during the curfew period of 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. each day. They must also wear their seat belts, abstain from drugs or alcohol, and obey all traffic laws. Only when that driver reaches 18 years of age, or for 30 days before that date, can they then apply for a full driver license.
Parents may be able to take action to file personal injury claims
Unfortunately, no matter what precautions a parent takes to protect their children, the reality is that distracted driving car accidents can and do happen every day. It is for this reason that Missouri and Illinois personal injury laws provide injured victims and their families the opportunity to file claims in civil court to seek financial restitution for the damages they have incurred. Succeeding at such personal injury or — in the worst-case scenarios, wrongful death — claims requires an understanding of the law and an ability to make a strong argument based upon evidence in the case. It also requires preserving valuable evidence which can be lost if the proper procedures are not followed.
If you or a loved one have been injured due to the distracted driving of another individual, you may be able to file a claim in court to obtain recompense for the medical and other related expenses you have been forced to incur. You may benefit from consulting an experienced personal injury attorney such as myself to discuss the facts of your case and determine whether you could file such a claim. If you contact my St. Louis personal injury law firm toll-free at 1-888-586-7041, we can arrange a free consultation to discuss your case. Not only will this consultation cost you nothing, you will also pay nothing until and only if my firm is able to obtain financial restitution either via settlement or at trial.