Portland Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an average of nine people are killed in the United States every day in a distracted driving accident. Although the public tends to focus its attention on accidents involving drunk driving or excessive speed, the reality is that distracted driving has quickly become one of the leading causes of preventable crashes in Oregon. And what makes distracted driving especially dangerous is the fact that just about everyone has been guilty of it at one time or another.
A distracted driver poses a danger to everyone else on the road. So if you, or someone in your family, has been seriously injured in such a crash, it is in your best interest to work with a qualified Portland distracted driving accident lawyer. At Rosenbaum Law Group, PC, we represent accident victims in seeking compensation from distracted drivers.
The Three Types of Distracted Driving That Can Lead to a Deadly Accident
“Distracted driving” refers to a broad category of behaviors that divert a driver’s attention away from the task of actually operating their vehicle. You can divide distractions into three broad categories:
- Visual distractions. This refers to the driver taking their eyes off the road, such as looking in the back seat for an item or gazing out the side window to look at another accident.
- Manual distractions. Basically, any action that involves the driver taking their hand off the wheel. For example, the driver is eating or holding their phone with one hand.
- Cognitive distractions. This includes any action where the driver takes their mind off driving. This can be something as simple as daydreaming, reading a text message, or having a conversation with passengers in the car.
Some forms of distracted driving are expressly against the law. Oregon forbids drivers from holding a mobile electronic device in their hands, or using such devices for any purpose, while driving on public roads unless they use a “hands-free” accessory. A driver can be stopped by law enforcement and cited for a traffic violation for breaking these rules.
Not all forms of distracted driving warrant a traffic ticket. But they can still be cited as proof of a driver’s negligence in a personal injury lawsuit. In practice, distracted driving is just as reckless as operating a motor vehicle while drunk or driving too fast. Distractions often divert a driver’s attention in the critical seconds before an accident occurs. Absent such distraction, a responsible driver could have avoided the crash altogether.
Contact Rosenbaum Law Group Today
It only takes a split-second for distracted driving to cause a crash. Yet it often takes the victims months–even years–to fully recover and rebuild their lives. If you are such a victim, you have a right to demand legal compensation from the distracted driver. So if you need to speak with an experienced Portland distracted driving accident attorney, contact Rosenbaum Law Group, PC, to schedule a free confidential consultation.
