Distractions in cars have proliferated in recent years. Where once the main diversion while driving was the radio, we now have all sorts of technology in cars, including cell phones, iPods, DVD players, Internet access, GPS systems and more. All of these devices can divert motorists’ attention from their main focus: driving their cars safely.
About 1 in 5 auto accidents involve at least one driver who was distracted, according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Driving while using a cell phone delays reaction time as much having a blood alcohol level of 0.08, which is considered drunk driving under South Carolina law, NHTSA says.
Contact Our Texting Accident Lawyers Today
If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in a South Carolina distracted driving auto accident, our personal injury lawyers at Joye Law Firm can help you. We will treat you with respect and courtesy while working to get you the money and benefits you are entitled to. Just Call Joye.
You can reach us at (877) 537-1920 or fill out an online consultation form today.
We have offices in Myrtle Beach and Charleston, and Joye Law Firm’s distracted driving attorneys are ready to handle your case anywhere in South Carolina. We represent people like you all over our state, including Florence, Richland County, Orangeburg, Columbia, Horry County (including Conway and North Myrtle Beach), North Charleston, Mount Pleasant and Summerville.
Experience Counts
Our personal injury attorneys at Joye Law Firm are committed to our clients, and we are proud of our track record. Our South Carolina car accident attorneys at Joye Law Firm, founded in 1968, have received an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and several have been recognized as Super Lawyers.
Results we have achieved for previous clients include a $5.9 million settlement for a client who suffered brain injuries in a wreck, a $1.15 million settlement for the family of a man killed in a car accident and a $500,000 verdict for a man whose back was injured in a collision.
While every case is different, and past results are in no way intended to guarantee that a similar result can be obtained in another case, past results obtained by a law firm are an indication of the firm’s experience when it comes to serious injury and wrongful death cases. For more details about the results obtained for previous Joye Law Firm clients, please click on the Results tab on our home page.
What Constitutes Distracted Driving in South Carolina?
South Carolina law doesn’t provide a clear definition of distracted driving, but NHTSA says it’s anything that takes the driver’s focus away from the road.
While it’s plain that having more gadgets in cars has increased distractions for drivers, not all distractions are high-tech. Here are some examples of distractions behind the wheel:
- Talking on a cell phone.
- Texting.
- Talking to passengers or dealing with kids in the car.
- Drinking and eating.
- Using a GPS navigation system.
- Smoking.
- Adjusting a stereo or iPod.
- Combing hair, shaving or putting on makeup.
- Reading.
- Picking up something from the floorboards.
- Adjusting the heat, air conditioning or other equipment on the car.
- Getting lost in thought or daydreaming.
- Looking at a map.
Any of these activities, as well as many others, can contribute to a distracted driving accident. If it is shown that a wreck happened because a driver was distracted from the task of safely operating the car, it could mean that he or she will be held liable for the crash.
But South Carolina Doesn’t Ban Texting While Driving, Right?
While it is true that it is not against statutory law to text while driving or to talk on a handheld or hands-free cell phone while driving in South Carolina, evidence that a motorist was distracted by texting or phone use could still be evidence of fault. You need a car accident lawyer like the ones at Joye Law Firm to analyze every element of your case to determine what compensation you might be entitled to.
Grim Statistics: The Dangers Of Distracted Driving
NHTSA’s website provides some surprising statistics about the toll distracted driving takes on motorists. Here are some highlights:
- In 2009, 20 percent of injury crashes involved reports of distracted driving.
- 18 percent of fatal distraction-related crashes involved cell phone use.
- In 2009, 5,474 people were killed on U.S. roadways and an estimated additional 448,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes that were reported to have involved distracted driving.
- Drivers under age 20 had the greatest proportion of distracted drivers, followed by drivers between ages 20-29. Cell phone distractions were the greatest for those in the age range of 30-39.
- Using handheld devices makes a driver four times more likely to be involved in an accident that causes injury.
- The percentage of fatalities reportedly associated with driver distraction increased from 10 percent in 2005 to 16 percent in 2009.
Contact Our Myrtle Beach Distracted Driving Accident Lawyers Today
If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a South Carolina distracted driving auto accident, you can depend on our personal injury lawyers at Joye Law Firm to fight for all of the benefits you deserve.
Just Call Joye at (877) 537-1920 or fill out our free online case evaluation form.
