St. Augustine Distracted Driving Accident Attorney
Texting & Distracted Driving Accidents in Florida
We have all seen it while driving down roads and freeways—other drivers putting on makeup while driving, eating, or texting behind the wheel. These drivers are obviously distracted and have little to no regard for the safety and well-being of others.
At first blush, distracted driving may not seem like a big deal. However, the average vehicle comprises approximately 4,000 pounds of steel, plastic, and glass, all of which hurtles down the road at anywhere from 8 to 80 miles per hour. When the person operating this vehicle is not paying attention, accidents are bound to happen.
If you were injured or if someone you love was killed by a distracted driver, you deserve justice and the chance to heal. At Canan Law, our St. Augustine distracted driving accident attorneys are prepared to stand up for you and your rights. We know how to properly investigate these types of motor vehicle accident claims to establish the fault of the distracted driver, demonstrate the extent of your injuries and damages, and effectively advocate for you in settlement negotiations or at trial.
To discuss your case with one of our skilled personal injury lawyers, call Canan Law at (904) 849-2266 or submit a free online case evaluation form.
The True Dangers of Distracted Driving
Whether the distracted driver was texting, using a cellphone, eating, grooming themselves, or reading, distracted driving is a huge, dangerous problem on Florida roads. In recent years, Florida has been named the second most dangerous state when it comes to distracted driving, and in 2019, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV) reported that there were more than 160,000 distracted driving crashes in Florida in 2019.
Of these distracted driving accidents:
- 266 were fatal
- 2,929 resulted in incapacitating injuries
- 14,030 resulted in non-incapacitating injuries
- 32,081 led to possible injuries
These staggering statistics reveal the serious dangers of distracted driving, but it was only relatively recently that Florida enacted laws specifically aimed at reducing distracted driving accidents.
Distracted Driving Laws in Florida
As of July 1, 2019, Florida Statute 316.305 prohibits motorists from texting while driving and allows law enforcement to issue traffic citations for those found to be violating the law. Specifically, the law prohibits drivers from manually typing or entering any letters, numbers, or symbols into a cell phone or another communications device for the purpose of texting, emailing, or sending an instant message.
Additionally, Florida Statute 316.306 prohibits the use of a handheld cell phone or other wireless communications device in school zones and work zones, including designated school crossings and zones, as well as active work/construction zones.
Experienced Lawyers Dedicated to Securing Compensation for Victims
At Canan Law, our attorneys have over 60 years of combined legal experience handling distracted driving accident cases, including those occurring on Interstate 95 and the surrounding roads. We also handle other personal injury claims for individuals in St. Johns County and Northeast Florida.
Our lawyers have been able to successfully recover damages for injured parties and their families, while also taking steps to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving and prevent future incidents in our community. We can also pursue wrongful death suits if a distracted driving accident resulted in fatalities.
We have also recovered punitive damages (those meant to punish the wrongdoer rather than compensation for out-of-pocket expenses) for victims of auto accidents, including those injured by distracted drivers.
Call Our Team Today
If you have been injured by a driver who was texting while driving or otherwise distracted, contact our attorneys to schedule a free consultation. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and we do not collect any attorneys’ fees unless/until we recover compensation for you.
Call our office at (904) 849-2266 or contact us online to learn how we can help you.
Our legal team specializes in a wide variety of practices and we are ready to fight & advocate on your behalf.
What Constitutes “Distracted Driving?”
Although Florida laws target texting while driving, this is not the only form of distracted driving. In fact, any activity that takes a driver’s attention from the road is considered a distraction.
Driving distractions are categorized in three ways:
- Manual Distractions: These are activities that cause the driver to remove one or both hands from the steering wheel, such as changing the radio station or reaching for an item that has fallen onto the floor of the vehicle.
- Visual Distractions: These are any distractions that cause the driver to take their eyes off the road, such as looking down at a GPS device, turning to look at a passenger in the vehicle, or looking at an accident along the roadway.
- Cognitive Distractions: A cognitive distraction is anything that takes the driver’s mind off the task of driving, including engaging in a conversation with someone in the vehicle, daydreaming, or thinking about how to respond to a text message.
It can be exceedingly difficult to prove a driver was distracted without hard evidence. At Canan Law, our St. Augustine distracted driving accident lawyers know how to properly investigate these types of collisions to determine if the at-fault driver was distracted in some way. This might include looking at their cell phone records/data, examining nearby security footage of the crash, and working with accident reconstructionists to rebuild the events leading up to the collision.