There is a very good chance that you have navigated to this website on your cell phone. Being able to access the Internet from your phone has made so many aspects of life more convenient. If you are lost, it is easy to pull over to the side of the road and pull up an accurate and up to date set of directions to your destination. Since the advent of smartphones, it is rare to pull into the parking lot of a restaurant only to find out that it is closed. If it is taking you longer than usual to get home from work because the traffic is bad, it is easy to let your family know that, so that they don’t get impatient. Unfortunately, though, cell phones can be a distraction, with their constant notifications, even if you promise not to open a text message until you get to a red light. Distracted driving, especially when the distractions are related to cell phones, is a major risk factor for car accidents in Missouri, as in other states.
Distracted Driving Laws in Missouri
Compared to most other states, distracted driving laws in Missouri are quite lenient. It is one of only a few states in which drivers 21 years and older can both talk on cell phones while driving and use their phones to read and compose text messages. Several times, including as recently as 2018, Missouri lawmakers have introduced bills that would place greater restrictions on cell phone use by drivers, but so far, none of these bills have passed.
Of course, cell phone distractions can impair a person’s driving as much as drunkenness can. The lenient rules about distracted driving leave millions of drivers and passengers in Missouri vulnerable to being injured in accidents caused by distracted driving.
What to Do If You Are Injured in an Accident Involving a Distracted Driver
Texting and driving might be legal for most drivers in Missouri, but the fact that the other driver was using a cell phone can strengthen your case if you need to file a personal injury lawsuit because of injuries you sustain in a car accident. You have grounds for a lawsuit if the other driver’s negligence caused the accident. Failing to pay attention to the road because of cell phone distractions can certainly count as negligence.
What should you do if there are no eyewitnesses to verify that the other driver was talking or texting on a cell phone at the time of the accident? The best thing is to mention it as early and as often as possible. Mention it to the insurance company and to the police as soon as you report the accident.
Contact Walton Telken Foster Attorneys at Law About Car Accident Injuries
If you were injured in a car accident with a distracted driver, you could have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. Contact Walton Telken Foster Attorneys at Law to discuss your case in more detail.
