Fatal Distracted Driving Accident Serves as a Reminder Inattentive Driving Remains a Problem

While public awareness campaigns such as Montlick & Associates' Don't Text & Drive Campaign, anti-cell phone laws and stepped up enforcement efforts have reduced the frequency of distracted driving accidents, inattentive driving remains one of the leading causes of motor vehicle-related fatalities.

While cell phones pose the most common form of driving distraction, drivers may also divide their attention between driving and eating, talking to passengers, adjusting a car stereo, reaching for objects in the vehicle and a multitude of other distractions.

Young drivers (e.g. drivers under 21) who attempt to multi-task can cause collisions resulting in devastating consequences. A 20-year-old Macon, Georgia man tragically died recently when he attempted to negotiate a left turn while using a cell phone. His vehicle departed the roadway when he attempted to steer hard to regain control of the vehicle.

Although there has recently been a large push to raise awareness of the dangers surrounding texting while driving, distracted drivers across Georgia continue to use their cellphones while behind the wheel. This problem is especially pervasive amongst teen and young adult drivers.

Car accidents are one of the leading causes of serious injury for residents of Georgia. However, many residents, not just of Macon but across the state, don't treat driving as a potentially dangerous activity. Some drivers think that they can text, email, chat, play with the radio, put on make-up or do anything else to avoid completely focusing on the task at hand. Unfortunately, such distracted driving can be a deadly and a costly mistake.

This past weekend, a young man from Georgia, only 20 years old, was using what appears to be a cellphone when his vehicle left the roadway while he was negotiating a left turn. It appears the distracted driver over-corrected and his car left the opposite shoulder. This momentum propelled the vehicle into a ditch, ending with the vehicle impacting a tree and flipping. The distracted driver was not wearing a seatbelt. Tragically, the violent wreck proved fatal.

This fatal wreck is a devastating reminder of the dangers of distracted driving. A driver is taking a huge risk by continuing to engage in such activity, thereby putting both their life and the lives of others on the line. If a driver kills or seriously injures another individual because the driver was texting while driving, the driver could be deemed negligent and thereby liable for the damages. They could also be charged criminally.

Our Georgia accident attorneys at Montlick and Associates are available to provide effective legal representation to clients throughout all of Georgia and the Southeast, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.