When drivers can’t pull themselves away from texting on their mobile devices, they can cause collisions that result in devastating injuries or deaths.
Text messaging addiction is characterized by a compulsive desire to read and respond to text messages, making it difficult to focus on other tasks like driving.
Knowing how to avoid text messaging addiction (as well as drivers who insist on texting while behind the wheel) will keep you and your loved ones safe on Georgia roadways.
Why Text Messaging Addiction is a Problem
Using a smartphone or other mobile device while driving takes your attention away from the road, other vehicles, and pedestrians.
It can become harder to free yourself from the desire to check and recheck your smartphone for incoming messages.
It isn’t just the act of reading that distracts drivers. A new message can pull your attention away to a work issue or cause you to get lost in thought, which means you pay less attention to what’s going on around you.
Simple Ways to Avoid Text Messaging Addiction
If you find yourself reaching for your mobile device while driving, there are some simple steps you can take to reduce the risk of causing an accident.
Georgia state law prohibits texting while driving. But this may not always be enough to keep you and other drivers from putting away your devices.
Obeying traffic laws is the first step to preventing an automobile collision. Turn off your devices as soon as you get inside your car. Place them somewhere that makes it hard for you to access them while driving.
Passengers carrying mobile devices can also distract drivers. Don’t let friends or family members take your attention away to look at something on their devices.
Give your full attention to the road in front of you, and let the people in your life know that you won’t answer phone calls or text messages while driving.
Pay attention to other drivers. If you see someone using a mobile device, keep a distance to avoid an avoidable collision.
The Consequences of Text Messaging Addiction
Accidents caused by text messaging addiction result in severe injuries and deaths that can be devastating to victims and their families.
Georgia’s personal injury attorneys have seen a spike in legal claims related to accidents caused by defendants who were texting while driving.
An experienced attorney who understands the role that text messaging addiction can play in these cases can help victims receive compensation to cover medical expenses, the loss of personal property, and other damages.
Injuries seen in accidents caused by texting drivers include fractures, cuts, strains, sprains, and head and neck injuries.
Trauma to the brain, spinal cord, and vital organs can be debilitating and life-altering, requiring years of ongoing medical treatments and surgeries.
Spinal cord injuries can result in paralysis, reducing a person’s ability to function or return to employment, putting their family’s financial security at risk.
Personal Injury Attorneys Are Taking on Text Messaging Addiction
If you’ve been injured by a driver who was texting while driving, a skilled personal injury attorney in Georgia can help you get the compensation you deserve.
Accidents involving a texting driver require specialized legal intervention. A lawyer who knows how to investigate texting-and-driving cases can help you gather the evidence you need to file a successful legal claim.
Despite Georgia laws that prohibit texting while driving, it continues to be a serious risk for drivers, their passengers, and pedestrians.
An attorney can help negligent drivers accountable for the injuries and damages they cause. Innocent people are injured and killed each day by distracted drivers. They deserve to have qualified and aggressive legal representation.
Your attorney can help you get compensation for pain and suffering. If you’ve lost a loved one in an accident, compensation can be awarded for the loss of companionship and consortium.
Text messaging addiction is growing in cities all over the world. Knowing the risks of text messaging while driving and having an attorney who can protect your legal rights in a Georgia court of law is the first step to keeping your family safe.
