Distracted Driving Accident - Sand Law North Dakota
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North Dakota Distracted Driving Accident Attorneys

North Dakota Distracted Driving Accident Attorneys - Sand Law

As smartphones have become a bigger and bigger part of our daily lives, living without them, even for a few minutes,  has become difficult for most. Afterall, we have our whole lives on those things. But when a device becomes a distraction in the car, the consequences can be disastrous. Of course, distracted driving doesn’t have to pertain to phones exclusively. Distracted driving, in general, occurs when someone takes their eyes off the road or has their focus somewhere else. Removing your eyes from the road for even a few seconds—to send a text or dig around in your purse—can cause a motor vehicle accident. Remaining alert and attentive while driving is incredibly important to safe driving and to prevent a car accident. Let’s review the different types of distracted driving. 

Types of Distractions while Driving

When it comes to distracted driving, the first thing we usually think of is texting. However, there are many other kinds of distracted driving, including manual, visual, and cognitive distractions. 

Manual Distractions

Manual distractions occur when the driver physically does something with their hands. Removing your hands from the wheel to do anything other than operating your vehicle can be considered a manual distraction. This involves things like texting, taking a phone call, eating or drinking, putting on makeup, or even adjusting the radio. It may seem like a small thing, but any moment taken away from driving can change someone’s life forever. 

Visual Distractions

Visual distractions occur when a drivers’ hands remain on the wheel and instead they engage in visual distractions that require them to take their eyes off the road. These can include reading text messages, reading anything from your cell phone, checking your appearance in the mirror, looking at a GPS, looking at a passenger, or looking at any electronic device. 

Cognitive Distractions

Cognitive distractions occur when a drivers’ mind wanders from the road. This means that they may not be paying attention to what’s happen around them even if they’re looking at the road and have their hands on the wheel. This can include being lost in thought, talking on a hands-free phone, caring for or disciplining your children, or focusing on a stressful situation that could be unrelated to the drive. 

North Dakota Distracted Driving Laws

Many states have laws that prohibit distracted driving in one way or another. These laws state that drivers cannot operate their cell phone to send text messages or make phone calls. Some states even have a “hands free” law, which means you can’t use your cell phone for anything while driving if it requires you to physically be holding it. The purpose of this law is to enforce two hands on the steering wheel at all times. 

North Dakota law currently states that texting, emailing, and instant messaging are prohibited for drivers. The law prohibits the use of the Internet to access web pages. Additionally, underage drivers are not allowed to use hands-free or handheld technologies. This means that anyone under 18 may not talk on the phone or use a GPS while driving. 

There are a few exceptions to North Dakota’s law, including the ability to text using voice-to-text software, and you can even place a phone call while driving. 

Distracted Driving Statistics

In a recent 2020 study performed by The Zebra, they found that 37.1% of people admitted that driving while distracted is dangerous, but 28.6% also stated that they engage in distracted driving behavior. The main issue with distracted driving is that people know that it’s bad and still continue to take part in these bad behaviors. 

In 2018 there were 2,841 people killed by distracted driving accidents in the United States. That’s almost 8 people every day. Distracted driving is a real issue that a lot of people don’t take seriously. Many people die each day and will continue to do so until people begin to take driving seriously. 

In 2015, there were an estimated 391,000 accidents that involved distracted driving in the United States. North Dakota issued many laws trying to get these numbers down, including a text messaging fine of $100.

Filing a Claim for a Distracted Driving Accident

It can be tricky to fight a distracted driving case, especially when there isn’t much evidence to prove that the other driver was engaging in distracted driving. To win these types of cases, you must be able to prove that the other driver was being negligent. If someone breaks a state law, like texting while driving, this proves that they were being negligent while driving. 

If you’ve been injured in a car accident and you suspect that the other driver was texting or driving distracted in another way, an experienced lawyer can help you conduct an investigation to get the compensation that you deserve. 

Contact a North Dakota Car Accident Lawyer

When filing a distracted driving case in North Dakota, you’ll want to have an attorney on your side who has experience dealing with these types of cases. They’ll get you the compensation you deserve, perform necessary investigations, and deal with insurance companies of the opposing driver. 

The lawyers of Sand Law are experienced in these types of cases and ready to take on your case. If you’ve been injured in a distracted driving accident, please reach out to us online or at 701-609-1510 for more information. 

Offices in Watford City, Fargo, Williston, Bismarck, and Minot

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