Distracted Driving Cases Can Be Complex
Get an attorney who can cut through the confusion
It can be a terrifying and even maddening experience: seeing a car crossing the yellow lines into your pathway while the driver’s neck is bent texting. This didn’t have to happen. Almost all distracted driving accidents are avoidable. Still, proving that a driver was distracted while driving can be difficult.
Evidence is often ruined in the crash, and it may be difficult to find unbiased witnesses. At Hoover Rogers Law, LLP, our car accident attorneys know how to conduct thorough investigations that dig up evidence that may have otherwise gone unnoticed.
You can count on our attorneys to fight hard to get the money you deserve. If you were injured in an accident caused by distracted driving, contact our law firm to schedule a free case evaluation.
Distracted driving is more than texting
Distracted driving goes beyond texting. Other things that take an operator’s attention away from the road include:
- Eating
- Drinking
- Talking with other vehicle occupants
- Reaching for items within the cab
- Checking improperly displayed maps or GPS
- Changing music
- Grooming (brushing hair, applying makeup, shaving, etc.)
Among the riskiest places for distracted driving are parking lots. More than 65 percent of drivers say they use their phones to make calls while driving in parking lots, according to a National Safety Council survey. The research group also found that people driving around parking lots also feel comfortable, sending emails, taking photos, using social media, and setting GPS directions.
Drivers can be distracted by hands-free devices as well, according to AAA research. And a Texas A& M Transportation Institute study found that voice-to-text is just as dangerous as manual texting.
Texas and Oklahoma distracted driving law
For people living in the Texoma region, it is important to understand that Texas and Oklahoma have different distracted driving laws.
Texas
Texting while driving is banned statewide in Texas. The Lone Star State also restricts the use of cellphones for new drivers and people aged 18 or younger. It is illegal to use any handheld device in a school zone.
Wichita Falls passed its own distracted driving ordinance in 2017. The law says that no one can use a hand-held cell phone or smart phone while operating a motor vehicle. Hands-free devices are fine to use. The law does not apply in emergency situations and there are exceptions for some professionals.
Drivers are allowed to touch their phones to answer or end a call and to put the device on speaker. The phone cannot be held in the driver’s hand.
Oklahoma
In Oklahoma, it is illegal to text and drive. People driving commercial or public transportation vehicles are not allowed to make hand-held phone calls while driving. The law does not apply to people on private property. Newer drivers are not allowed to use hand-held devices.
However, the Oklahoma texting ban is a “secondary enforcement” law, which means a driver cannot be stopped solely for a suspected violation.
There are no local distracted driving laws in Lawton or anywhere else in Oklahoma. The state has a law that bans municipalities from enacting their own distracted driving rules.
We fight for accident victims’ rights
If you were injured in a distracted driving accident, you have rights. Hoover Rogers Law, LLP helps people get their lives back on track after bad accidents. We can take on the insurance companies to get you maximum compensation while you heal.
Contact Hoover Rogers Law, LLP to schedule a free case consultation. Our car accident attorneys work on contingency, which means there is no retainer or hourly rate for you to pay. Our fee is covered by the at-fault parties and their insurance providers. We only get paid when we win. Call, email, or chat online and take control of your accident today.