Distracted Driving Accident Attorney in St. Louis

Many people use cell phones while driving these days. That poses a risk for everyone sharing the roads. People who use their phones while driving are three times more likely to be involved in a car accident. Distracted accidents occur alarmingly often in St. Louis. If you or your loved one has been injured by a distracted driver, talk to our experienced St. Louis distracted driving lawyers.

Distracted Driving Accidents in St. Louis

The attorneys at Sansone & Lauber are committed to helping people in St. Louis who have been injured in accidents caused by driver inattention. Our car accident attorneys have obtained millions of dollars in compensation for our clients who have sustained serious injuries in accidents caused by others’ negligence. Review a list of some of our verdicts and settlements. If you have been harmed by a distracted driver, you should not have to shoulder the burden of medical bills for an accident caused by someone else. You need a trusted St. Louis personal injury lawyer who understands what you are going through and can help you rebuild your life. We do not represent insurance companies or large corporations.

Types of Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of teen car crashes and other types of motor vehicle accidents in St. Louis and across Missouri. Nearly 250 people died on Missouri highways from 2012 through 2014 in accidents involving distraction or inattention, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation. Drivers need to pay attention to the traffic around them and remain alert. Any activity that distracts a driver’s attention diverts a driver’s eyes or requires a driver to take their hands off the steering wheel may cause a distracted driving accident.

The three main categories of distraction are:

• Visual—taking your eyes off the road.
• Manual—removing your hands from the steering wheel
• Cognitive— diverting your mind from the task of driving.

Many activities can create a driver distraction. Among the commons activities that distract drivers are:

Talking on a cell phone

Sending text messages

Checking your email

Watching a video

Eating and drinking

Talking to passengers

Adjusting a radio, CD player, navigation system, or electronic device

Grooming, brushing hair, putting on makeup

Reading billboards

Looking at cars pulled over by police

Daydreaming.

Children, friends, and pets can all post dangerous distractions while you are driving. Some activities, such as texting while driving, are especially dangerous because they involve all three types of distraction. A driver typing a text message takes his or her eyes off the road, hands off the wheel to type and mind off the task of driving. Sending or receiving a text message takes a driver’s eyes off the road for approximately five seconds. That is like driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

If you or your loved one has been injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver, you should consult with a St. Louis accident attorney experienced at handling distracted driving accidents.