Hagerstown Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer

Car Accident Attorney for Driver Negligence in Hagerstown, MD

Distracted driving has become a leading cause of car accidents in the United States. Every day, drivers put themselves and others at risk by taking their attention away from the road. The roads in and around Hagerstown, Maryland are no exception to this trend. Accidents resulting from distracted driving can lead to serious injuries and even fatalities. Understanding the different types of distractions and how they contribute to accidents is key to holding negligent drivers accountable.

Those who have been injured in auto accidents caused by distracted drivers will need to understand how they can recover compensation for their medical expenses, lost income, and other damages. At Serafini Law, we help accident victims navigate the legal process and fight for the compensation they deserve. With a focus on personalized service and a thorough understanding of Maryland traffic laws, Attorney A.J. Serafini works diligently to ensure that people injured by distracted drivers can achieve justice for the harm they have suffered.

Types of Distractions That Affect Drivers

Distractions while driving can come from many sources. Any activity that takes a driver's focus away from the road can increase the likelihood of a car accident. Distracted driving is often categorized into three types: visual, manual, and cognitive distractions.

Visual Distractions

These distractions occur when a driver takes their eyes off the road. Even a momentary glance away from traffic can have dangerous consequences. Common visual distractions include:

• Cell phone use: Looking at text messages, social media notifications, or GPS apps.
• Billboards or scenery: Focusing on roadside advertisements or attractions instead of paying attention to traffic.
• Passengers or objects in the vehicle: Looking at children, pets, or items inside the car.

When drivers are visually distracted, they may not notice changes in traffic patterns, traffic lights, stop signs, or pedestrians in time to avoid a collision. Taking one's eyes off the road for just five seconds while driving at 55 mph is equivalent to driving the length of a football field blindfolded.

Manual Distractions

When a driver takes one or both hands off the wheel, this can prevent them from reacting quickly to sudden changes in traffic or road conditions. Some common manual distractions include:

• Eating or drinking: Holding food or drinks in one hand, which limits the driver's control of the vehicle.
• Adjusting controls: Changing the radio station, adjusting heat or air conditioning, or using other vehicle controls.
• Handling objects: Reaching for something in the back seat, searching for items in a purse, or picking up dropped objects.

When drivers are not fully in control of their vehicles, they may struggle to make quick maneuvers to avoid accidents.

Cognitive Distractions

These distractions occur when a driver's mind is not focused on driving. Even if their hands are on the wheel and their eyes are on the road, a distracted driver may still miss important signals, such as a brake light or a pedestrian crossing the road. Common cognitive distractions include:

• Daydreaming: Becoming mentally distracted by unrelated thoughts while driving.
• Talking to passengers: Engaging in conversations with others in the vehicle that take one's attention away from the road.
• Using hands-free devices: Even when a driver is not physically handling their phone, making calls using hands-free technology can distract them mentally, as they may focus on the conversation rather than their driving.

Cognitive distractions can be particularly dangerous, because the driver may not even realize they are not fully concentrating on the task at hand.

Why Distracted Driving Causes Accidents

Distracted driving limits a driver's ability to react to their surroundings quickly and effectively. When drivers are distracted, they may:

• Miss traffic signals: A distracted driver might not notice a red light, stop sign, yield sign, or changes to the speed limit, leading to intersection accidents or collisions with other vehicles or pedestrians.
• Fail to maintain lane control: A driver who is not focused on the road may drift out of their lane, causing sideswipe accidents or head-on collisions with vehicles in oncoming traffic.
• Not notice stopped vehicles: If a distracted driver does not see that traffic has slowed or stopped ahead, they may rear-end the vehicle in front of them, potentially causing a chain reaction of collisions.
• Have slower reaction times: Distracted drivers often take longer to respond to sudden changes, such as a car braking in front of them, a pedestrian entering a crosswalk, or a vehicle swerving into their lane.

The consequences of distracted driving can be severe, ranging from minor fender benders to devastating accidents that result in serious injuries or fatalities.

How Our Lawyer Can Help Prove Distracted Driving

Negligent drivers may be held responsible for injuring others in collisions. Proving that a distracted driver caused an accident can be critical during a personal injury case. However, because distractions are often internal or fleeting, demonstrating negligence requires thorough investigation and evidence gathering. Our attorney can help build a strong case that demonstrates the other driver's liability.

Investigating the Accident

One of the first steps we will take will be to conduct a detailed investigation of the accident. This may include:

• Obtaining police reports: Law enforcement officers often note if a driver was distracted at the time of the crash, especially if they were using a cell phone.
• Interviewing witnesses: People who observed the accident may have seen the driver using their phone, eating, or engaging in other distracted behaviors right before the collision.
• Requesting phone records: In some cases, we may be able to obtain cell phone records that show whether the driver was texting or using their phone at the time of the accident.
• Using accident reconstruction: In more complex cases, accident reconstruction experts can help demonstrate how a driver's distracted behavior contributed to the crash.

Gathering Evidence of Negligence

Serafini Law will work to gather evidence that supports a claim of distracted driving, including:

• Video footage: Traffic cameras, surveillance videos, or dashcam footage may capture the driver engaging in distracted behavior or show that they failed to react appropriately before the crash.
• Photos of the accident scene: These images may show vehicle damage, skid marks, or other details that can help paint a picture of how the accident occurred.

Contact Our Hagerstown, Maryland Distracted Driving Accident Attorney

When a car accident was caused by a distracted driver, you can take steps to recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. Serafini Law can provide the representation needed to secure the compensation they deserve. Contact us at 240-744-1600 to schedule a free consultation.