New Jersey Cell Phone Accidents Lawyer
Distracted Driving Accidents in New Jersey
If you've ever seen drivers texting or talking on a cell phone while cruising down New Jersey's streets and highways, you've likely wondered how they can concentrate on the road while trying to talk or type at the same time. The simple answer is they can't. Operating a vehicle while trying to talk or text is distracted driving, and it is a factor in many New Jersey auto accidents. In fact, studies have shown that a driver's risk of getting into an accident is four times higher while using a cell phone. If you were in an accident caused by a distracted driver, a New Jersey cell phone accident attorney at Lependorf & Silverstein, P.C. can help.
Lawmakers in New Jersey recognize that texting or talking on a cell phone while driving poses a serious hazard on the road. They have enacted tough laws regarding this risky practice. In New Jersey:
- It is illegal for individuals to use a handheld device while operating a motor vehicle;
- It is against the law for school bus drivers and those under 21 who are part of the graduated driver-licensing program to use cellular devices of any kind while driving; and
- It is illegal for all drivers to drive and text at the same time.
Despite these distracted driving laws, many motorists continue to drive while using their cell phones, refusing to obey the rules of the road enacted to keep them and other drivers sharing the road safe. The facts and statistics regarding texting and talking while driving are sobering:
- Studies show that driving while distracted is a factor in as many as 25 percent of vehicular accidents.
- Reaction time is significantly impaired when a driver is operating a motor vehicle while distracted.
- Drivers take longer to respond to brake lights if they are talking or texting.
- Distracted drivers were responsible for 6,000 deaths and hundreds of thousands of injuries in 2008 alone.
The best thing you can do to protect yourself behind the wheel and avoid car accidents is to use good judgment and obey the laws of the road. This means pulling over to a safe spot if you must use a cell phone or send a text, having a passenger answer your cellular device if you are driving or letting calls go to voicemail and returning them at a later time.
Contacting a Cell Phone Accident Lawyer in New Jersey
Unfortunately, you can't control the practices of other drivers. If a distracted driver caused an accident, you shouldn't have to suffer for his or her bad judgment and irresponsible behavior. In these situations, contacting an experienced New Jersey texting accident attorney is your best course of action. An attorney will aggressively fight to ensure compensation for hospital bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and other negative outcomes caused by another motorist's poor decisions. Contact Lependorf & Silverstein to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.
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