Injured in a car accident?
In today’s world, drivers are more distracted than ever. In the last few years, a significant amount of motor vehicle crashes are due, in whole or in part, to drivers taking their eyes off the road, especially when texting and driving. The Center for Disease Control lists three major types of distraction: (i) visual – taking your eyes off the road; (ii) manual – taking your hands off the wheel; and (iii) cognitive – taking your mind off of driving. (CDC)
Texting and driving is very dangerous because it involves all three types of distraction. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, when you send or read a text message, you take your eyes off the road for about 5 seconds and cover the length of a football field, if driving at 55 mph. (CDC and NHTSA.)
Just reading or sending a text, while driving, may lead to an automobile accident. The writer of this blog was rear ended not too long ago from a driver who was reading a text. As technology evolves, both in and out of vehicles, there will be new challenges. Recently, NBC News did a report concerning driver inattention / overreliance on the driver assist features which may be the source or contributing cause to automobile accidents. (YouTube, no. 1.) Further, drivers may take the liberty of using the autopilot as a way for them to do other distracting activities such as texting. (YouTube, no. 2). So, as we move toward autonomous driving, driver’s may experiment with increased multi-tasking, with each incremental technology breakthrough, rather than focusing on driving or the road. Therefore, the unintended consequence of new technology may be an increased number of accidents caused or contributed to by drivers adding more distracted activities to their drive.
Besides being distracted, a driver may be impaired by alcohol or drugs or even lack of sleep. Surprisingly, it does not take much to impair your driving. Also, an impaired driver’s assessment of their ability or capability to drive in a particular moment is also impaired.
Whether you are injured by a driver who was distracted, inattentive, or just plain negligent, there are some important steps to take after the accident. So, without intervention from a friend or concerned individual, an impaired driver will not often keep themselves from driving. More easily accessible transportation options, such as Uber and Lyft, and safer cars have probably contributed to the continuing decrease in impaired driving fatalities over the years. (Responsibility.org). Nevertheless, the number is not zero. Just the other day, the writer of this blog had a driver run a stop sign (and barely miss T-boning my car) and drive into the yard of a home, thinking they were still on their way to Cahaba Heights. The driver was clearly impaired, but luckily for herself and others, neither she nor others were injured and the property damage was limited to her car. Unfortunately, that was not the same outcome as what occurred to Anne Heche. (USA Today). Recently, her car was seen speeding in a Mar Vista neighborhood before crashing into a home, catching fire and seriously injuring Heche. At this time, it is not known if Heche was impaired or not, but the nature of the crash suggests that Heche may not have been clear about her surroundings.
If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, auto accident, or car crash and you are injured, there are some important steps to take.
It is important to focus on your personal safety first, then move to what you can do to preserve evidence (such as calling the police – to get an accident report to record the event, taking photographs of injuries to you and your car, and getting the names and phone numbers of witnesses), and then preparing a claim by calling your insurance company and then Foster Law for assistance with making a claim against the person or company who owns the car, truck or vehicle that hit your car, truck or motorcycle.
As a checklist, here are the Top ten things to do after an automobile accident:
1. Assess your injuries;
2. If you are conscious and your injury is severe, call 911 and ask for an ambulance;
3. In the same 911 call, request that the police come to the scene (even if injury is not severe, you will need to call 911, so that the police can come to the scene to make a report of the accident);
4. Call friends or family to notify them;
5. Receive medical treatment;
6. You or someone take photographs of the car and any injuries;
7. Gather any information concerning any witnesses (name, telephone numbers, what they saw);
8. Obtain a card from the police with the place to inquire about getting a copy of the accident report;
9. Be sure to report the incident to your automobile insurance company; and
10. Call Foster Law Firm for assistance with making a claim against the person who hit you. Please feel free to contact us for a FREE case evaluation. Please click here to access our “Free Case Evaluation” form, and we will be in touch within 24 hours of your case submission. Or, feel free to text us at (205) 651-5808 or call us at (205) 259-1678.