Distracted Driving in Knoxville Car Accident Cases – What Is Distracted Driving and How Do Tennessee Personal Injury Laws Protect Victims of Distracted Driving Accidents?
Most drivers in Knoxville, and throughout Tennessee, are likely aware that using a cell phone while driving is a very bad and dangerous idea. Indeed, when a driver’s eyes are glued to a cell phone screen, rather than the road, serious, even fatal car accidents can happen, and lives can change in the blink of an eye.
It is clear that distracted driving in Knoxville is no joke, and Knoxville drivers should drive cell phone-free, keeping their attention on the road. However, using a cellphone while driving is not the only form of distracted driving, and Knoxville drivers should be aware that they may be at risk of being involved in a serious accident while engaged in any other activity that pulls their attention away from driving. To help Knoxville drivers better understand what distracted driving is, and what they can do about it if they are injured by a distracted driver, we discuss the three forms of distracted driving in Knoxville, and how to get legal help after a distracted driving accident leaves you seriously injured.
The Three Forms of Distracted Driving in Knoxville
According to the Tennessee Highway Safety Office, distracted driving is “the act of driving while engaged in activities that divert the driver’s attention away from the road.” There are three types of distracted driving, per the Tennessee Highway Safety Office. Those three forms of distracted driving include:
- Cognitive distracted driving: This happens when “the driver’s mind is not focused on driving. Examples include talking to passengers in the vehicle, thinking about stressful issues, or listening to loud music;”
- Visual Distracted Driving: This occurs when drivers are not focused on the road. Examples include looking at a GPS device or scrolling through social media on a cellphone;
- Manual distracted driving: this occurs when “the driver takes one or both hands off the wheel for any reason. Examples include eating food or drinking beverages, reaching backwards, or handling a mobile device.”
It is clear that using a cell phone while driving constitutes distracted driving, per the Tennessee Highway Safety Office guidance, and other activities such as eating, putting on makeup, adjusting a radio, or looking at Facebook are all other examples of distracted driving that may cause a serious car accident.
Getting Justice Against Distracted Drivers in Knoxville
Fortunately, victims of serious distracted driving accidents have rights and options to get justice against the distracted drivers that injure them. Under Tennessee personal injury laws, Knoxville truck accident victims have a limited time to file a lawsuit in court for money compensation for their injuries and losses against negligent and distracted drivers. In order to determine whether you may have a case for compensation under Tennessee personal injury laws in Knoxville, it is best to speak with an experienced Knoxville car accident lawyer about your case as soon as possible.
The experienced Knoxville car accident lawyers at the law firm Fox Farley Willis & Burnette PLLC are here to help victims of serious car accidents in Knoxville get justice. Contact Fox Farley Willis & Burnette PLLC today and speak to a lawyer about your case now.
Source:
tntrafficsafety.org/distracted-driving
