Distracted driving is more common than drunk driving and can be just as deadly. Distracted driving is linked to as many as 16 percent of all U.S. vehicular fatalities, claiming approximately 5,000 lives per year, according to the American Automobile Association’s Foundation for Traffic Safety. These types of accidents are tragic – and avoidable. Distracted driving is becoming more prevalent with the ever growing use of cell phones and other mobile devices.  What exactly is considered distracted driving? Drivers using their cell phones while driving to take selfies and update their social media profiles are distracted drivers.  Drivers using their cell phones while driving to surf the Internet are distracted drivers.  Drivers using their cell phones while driving to play video games are distracted drivers.  Drivers using their cell phones to answer emails while driving are distracted drivers.  And of course, drivers that are texting while driving are distracted drivers. If a distracted driver has injured you or a loved one in a car crash, call the experienced Charlotte car accident attorneys at Tippens & Zurosky.

One of the most common forms of distracted driving is cell phone use. But, just how common is driving while texting? Let’s imagine a road 2,000 feet in length that is currently occupied by approximately 80 mid-sized cars. This is what your average main road during rush hour looks like. Based on statistics, about 50% of drivers have admitted they text behind the wheel, bringing us to the conclusion that around 40 of those cars you’re sharing the road with are texting. Another way to look at these numbers is that a mile is 5280 feet, so for every mile you travel, sharing the road with you are approximately 100 distracted drivers!

There are no restrictions on talking on a cellphone while driving, unless you are a school bus driver, or under the age of 18. This restriction only applies when the vehicle is in motion. There is also an exception for bus drivers and underage motorists who can use cellphones in emergency situations. Texting and driving is outlawed in North Carolina for all drivers. There is a $100 fine for those cited for violating this restriction. North Carolina is a “primary law” state, meaning the police can stop you and fine you solely for texting and driving. If you are texting and driving, negligently causing an accident that kills another person, than death by vehicle charges can be levied against you.

Other types of distracted driving which have been known to cause car accidents include:

• Reaching for a moving object while driving
• Dealing with children in the back seat
• Eating while driving
• Reading
• Checking a GPS
• Changing the radio
• Putting on makeup

Any action that takes a driver’s attention away from focus on the road may be considered distracted driving. All distractions are a danger to passengers, other motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians, and the driver.

A life can be drastically changed in the seconds another driver takes his or her attention off of the road to send a text, answer an email, or make a call while driving. Any driver who allows himself to be distracted has made a choice to ignore the law and put others in danger.

If your serious injury was caused by distracted driver, you can pursue compensation through filing a personal injury claim, or lawsuit. Your attorney can be your strongest ally when it comes to negotiating with insurance companies, navigating the claims process, and holding a negligent driver accountable for the harm he or she has caused. It is important to work with a distracted driving accident lawyer who has successfully helped other injured individuals secure favorable results in similar accidents. The distracted driving attorneys at Tippens & Zurosky are determined to achieve the maximum potential recovery for victims of distracted driving. We understand that the real cost of an injury extends far beyond the costs of immediate medical care, we are on your side and will get you the justice you deserve.

The damages that may be available to a crash victim depend on the details of the accident and the extent of the injuries suffered.
Car crashes can cause catastrophic injuries that can take years to recover from, if ever, because some survivors may spend the rest of their lives with a permanent disability. Depending on the severity of a crash, a person may suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injuries, crush injuries, burn injuries, or other devastating injuries.
One of the biggest concerns in a personal injury case is making sure that the claimant will receive enough compensation to cover past and future medical care in addition to lost wages. Calculating non-economic damages, such as loss of quality of life, loss of consortium, pain and suffering, and disfigurement, can seem impossible, but an experienced Charlotte distracted driving lawyer knows how to do it.

Distracted drivers should be held liable for damages they cause, such as medical bills, lost wages, hospitalization, rehabilitation, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. A skilled personal injury attorney will give an injured victim his or her best chance at getting the maximum compensation available. Distracted drivers put everyone on the roadway at risk. The Charlotte distracted driver accident lawyers at Tippens & Zurosky, make sure that the injured victims of these negligent drivers are able to get financial compensation for their losses. We provide no-cost consultations and comprehensive case evaluations to injured victims and their families. Call us today at 704-343-0018.

Summer is considered one of the busiest times of year to travel around the highways and byways of North Carolina and South Carolina meaning car accidents may be more frequent. Summer driving, however, can also be just as deadly as winter driving!  It makes sense that driving in winter can be deadly for the drivers of North Carolina and South Carolina with icy roads, snow, and less daylight to help see potentially deadly hazards.  But, summer is fraught with its own kind of deadly risks because in the summer there are more teen drivers on the road, families take long trips on vacation using the roadways, there are more outings such as parties, barbecues, and lake trips that may involve long days in the sun, and consumption of alcohol, and in general the roads tend to be more crowded with traveling vacationers. Driving in winter and driving in summer are equally deadly with a slightly greater number of fatalities occurring in the summer. In summer, North Carolina’s deadliest highways are Interstate 40, followed by Interstate 85, then US 64. In summer, South Carolina’s deadliest highway is US-17, which is not that surprising considering it runs the length of the popular South Carolina beach counties, and is incredibly congested all summer long.

If you have a loved one that has been involved in a fatal automobile accident in North Carolina, or South Carolina, it is helpful to speak with an attorney before you speak with any insurance company.  You can’t even sometimes trust what your own insurance company tells you, particularly if they are the ones that have to pay out on your behalf.  Tippens & Zurosky has represented people involved in auto accidents and hurt on the job, in North Carolina and South Carolina for over twenty years.  Let us help you deal with the unexpected, and get your life back on track.  Call us toll free at (877) 372-3580, or 704-343-0018 to schedule a consultation so that we may assist you.