What to do when you're rear-ended by a texting or distracted driver Rear end accident settlement amounts depend on the quality of your lawyer.
Document everything. Take your own pictures of vehicle damage, license plates, and injuries. In larger cities like Milwaukee, the police might not even show up.
Notify the police - you want the accident recorded as officially as possible. The evidence could impact your abilityto recover the cost of your injuries or damaged vehicle.
Call aMilwaukee car accident attorney. The insurance company will tell you they just want to get everything taken care of quickly. This often means getting you to sign a check that signals you accept the insurance company's OFFER of settlement. What they claim your policy covers and what they are truly liable for may be different.
There’s a lot more to it than “don’t text and drive”
We’ve all heard how dangerous it is to text while driving, but somehow many of us still think we can do it. We think we’ll be more careful than all those other people who have caused accidents because they weren’t watching the road. Maybe we can just glance at the phone for a second at a time. We couldn’t possibly hit anything then, right?
Wrong, of course. What many drivers don’t realize is that there are three main types of distracted driving:
Visual
Visual distractions are anything that takes your eyes off the road, like looking at a map.
Manual
Manual distractions take your hands off the wheel, like reaching for a beverage.
Cognitive
Cognitive distractions take your mind off the task of driving, like thinking about your to-do list.
Texting falls into all three categories. Glancing down for a few scattered moments still has you driving with one hand (or your knees) and thinking about your message, not about driving. Texting and other distractions lead to accidents, injury, and death. If you or a loved one has been injured, or if a loved one has been killed by a distracted driver, contact Milwaukee's best auto accident lawyers for a free consultation.
Distracted driving statistics
Anything that keeps you from being 100% focused on driving is a distraction and could lead to a fatal car accident, such as:
Texting
Using a phone
Eating or drinking
Talking to passengers
Reading a map
Using a GPS
Adjusting the radio
Next time you get behind the wheel, keep these distracted driving facts and statistics in mind—it just might save a life.
About 3,000 people are killed each year in auto accidents involving distracted drivers.
Approximately another 400,000 are injured due to distracted driving.
At any given time during the day, over 600,000 Americans are using cell phones or other devices while driving.
10% of 15- to 19-year-old drivers who are involved in fatal car crashes were distracted at the time.
20- to 30-year-old drivers make up 38% of drivers using cell phones during fatal vehicle crashes.
When texting, your eyes are off the road for an average of 5 seconds. At highway speeds, that’s long enough to drive the length of a football field.
The simplest solution: when you’re driving, just drive. Here are a few ways to cut down on distractions:
Turn off or silence your phone, or have a passenger answer calls and texts. There are also apps and safety settings available which will send an automatic text response while you’re driving in case someone tries to get a hold of you.
If you need to use your phone for an emergency, pull over somewhere safe.
Make sure you know where your car’s features are so you can adjust them without looking at them (heat, AC, windshield wipers, radio controls, etc.).
Set your GPS before you start driving.
If you are upset or angry before driving, take the time to refocus and calm yourself.
Avoid eating while driving. Park somewhere safe if you need to eat. If you have to eat on the road, choose something that won’t be messy or difficult to manage.
If children in the back seat need something, safely pull over rather than reaching back while driving.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a distracted driver incident, contact the Warshafsky personal injury law firm for a free consultation.
Milwaukee car crash attorneys fight for the victims of distracted drivers
If you’ve been injured in a distracted car or motorcycle accident, whether they were texting, putting on makeup, or changing the radio station, contact our car accident law firm in Milwaukee to get the compensation you deserve from a professional car or motorcycle accident lawyer. Warshafsky Law has a reputation for getting the highest settlements and jury awards for our clients. Our team of personal injury attorneys has reached settlements for difficult cases such as pregnant car accident victims or those with severe injuries. Plus, there’s no fee until you win—we don’t get paid until you do.
