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Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer On Your Side
Distracted driving, or any activity that takes attention away from the road, can be deadly. According to the CDC, there was an average of 3,260 deaths and 411,667 injuries attributed to distracted driving over a recent six-year period in the US. When it comes to Missouri, there were a total of 21,058 distracted driving accidents in 2017 alone. Of those accidents, 88 people died and 8,809 people were injured.
The exact cause for each of these accidents may be unknown, but one of the most common reasons is texting and driving. Anyone — car, truck, or bus driver — who is guilty of not paying attention to the road should be held liable for damages.
Examples of distracted driving for which you deserve compensation:
- Texting on a phone
- Talking on the phone
- Changing music stations or adjusting knobs
- Checking maps or GPS
- Taking photos
- Checking email or social media sites
- Eating or drinking
- Reading
- Grooming (makeup, brushing teeth, shaving, etc.)
- Talking to other passengers in the vehicle
- Watching a video
- Smoking
- Not watching the road
Distracted Driving Laws in Missouri | Texting and Driving
In general, Missouri law dictates that anyone behind the wheel should drive with a reasonable standard of care — not just for themselves but for the protection of everyone. While someone may not be pulled over by the police for the sole reason of eating their lunch at the wheel, it can certainly be used in a personal injury claim to show negligence.
Fortunately, there are some distracted driving laws in effect in Missouri, but they generally apply to texting and driving for young people; i.e. drivers under the age of 21 are prohibited from operating a motor vehicle while reading or writing an electronic message on a hand-held device. This means that young drivers and people of all ages are still free to talk on a handheld device while driving.
Because the distracted driving laws in Missouri are considered lax compared to other states, this often makes people feel like they can text and drive without any repercussions. When this happens and an injury results, you are entitled to compensation for their negligence.
Missouri’s statute of limitations allows personal injury victims to sue a negligent party for damages up to five years after a truck accident, motorcycle accident, or car accident occurred. Do not delay in reaching out to a St. Louis personal injury lawyer if you think distracted driving played a role in your accident.