Oklahoma City Distracted Driving Accident Attorneys

Were You Hit by a Distracted Teenage Driver in OKC?

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics show that more than 3,000 lives are lost each year on American roadways due to distracted driving. Many of those accidents involve teenagers who are new to driving and don’t realize just how dangerous it is to drive while distracted. If you were injured by a distracted driver in Oklahoma City, know that you aren’t alone—and that you have legal options to try to set things right.

Fulmer Sill and our Oklahoma City distracted driving accident lawyers are here to support you with comprehensive and compassionate legal counsel. We have decades of collective practice experience that we can use to build a strong injury claim on your behalf. Whether your case needs to go to court or can be negotiated through a settlement, you can depend on us to do what is right for you and your recovery.

People choose Fulmer Sill for their accident and injury claims because:

• We use a unique approach that focuses on keeping you informed at every step.
• We work as a team, collaborating to find the best strategies and solutions for your unique case.
• We take a select number of cases at once, ensuring every case gets our full attention.
• We are feared by insurance companies and respected by the legal community for our skills, our ethics, and our results.

When you need serious help with a distracted driving accident claim in OKC, choose Fulmer Sill first. Dial (405) 433-7414 to arrange a free initial consultation.

Types of Driver Distractions

Driver distractions can take many forms and types. The common factor in them all is that it creates a hazard for everyone on the road. If something distracts a driver, even a little bit, it is a danger.

Common forms of driver distractions include:

• Texting and driving
• Eating or drinking
• Talking with passengers
• Using the vehicle’s navigation or infotainment systems
• Adjusting music or apps on the driver’s cell phone
• Reading billboards and road signs
• Reaching for an item in the car

When a driver is distracted in any way, the risk of causing a car accident increases significantly. Distracted drivers have slower reaction times, less control of the vehicle, trouble noticing the presence of pedestrians and other vehicles, and numerous other limitations that create dangers for themselves and others.

Why Teens are More Likely to Drive While Distracted

Drivers from all demographics can and do engage in distracted driving now and then. However, teenage drivers tend to be more likely to drive while distracted than most demographics.

Three reasons a teenage driver might be more likely to drive while distracted are:

1. Lack of experience: Teen drivers are new to driving and lack the experience that older drivers have. This lack of experience can make it difficult for them to identify or appreciate potential hazards and react accordingly, especially when they are distracted.
2. Underestimation of risks: Teens may underestimate the risks associated with distracted driving. They might not fully understand the consequences until they experience a near-miss or an accident.
3. Technology dependence: Today’s teens have grown up with smartphones, tablets, and other devices, so they might subconsciously reach for their smartphones while driving.

Why Texting & Driving is So Dangerous

According to the National Safety Council (NSC), nearly 3% of all drivers on the road at any given moment are using a smartphone while driving. If you are waiting at a red-light intersection in Oklahoma City, by the time the light changes, you will very likely have encountered around 3 drivers who were on their smartphones instead of paying attention to the traffic around them. This statistic makes cellphone use one of the most common and constant forms of driver distraction, but it is also one of the most dangerous.

Driver distractions typically occur in three distinct ways:

• Visual: A visual distraction takes a driver’s eyes away from the road and mirrors.
• Manual: A manual distraction takes a driver’s hands off the steering wheel.
• Mental: A mental distraction takes a driver’s mind off the task of safe driving.

Smartphone use – especially texting and driving – is so dangerous because it creates visual, physical, and mental distractions all at once. Picking up a phone, reading a message, and thinking about the message completely detracts the driver’s focus from the road and traffic conditions.

Proving the Other Driver Was Distracted

Our skilled distracted driving accident attorneys at Fulmer Sill in Oklahoma City can investigate the details of your accident to establish liability. We work to collect evidence from all possible sources and analyze every aspect of the accident to see what the other driver was doing to cause it, such as driving while distracted.

Evidence that could help prove the other driver’s distraction includes:

• Driver’s statements: Sometimes, drivers admit they were distracted at the time of the accident. The statement could be used as clear evidence of distraction.
• Eyewitness statements: Witnesses who saw the accident happen can provide crucial details about the events leading up to the crash. They may have noticed the other driver engaging in distracting activities like texting or eating.
• Dashcam or traffic cam footage: If available, video footage from dashcams or traffic cameras can provide indisputable evidence of what happened just before and during the accident. They can show if the other driver was not paying attention to the road.
• Police reports: Law enforcement officials who respond to the scene of the accident usually make a report detailing their observations. A police report might note that the other driver admitted that they were distracted or that the officer believes that they were.
• Cellphone records: Cellphone records may show if the driver was using their phone at or near the time of the accident. Cellphone records are a valuable piece of evidence by have their limitations. For example, while cellphone records may show a driver was on a call or sent a text at the time of the accident, they cannot tell you whether the driver was looking at their phone or in the middle of typing a text when the accident occurred. Such information is often only available from the cellphone itself.
• Cellphones: Cellphones contain a treasure trove of data that can be collected and analyzed to determine whether the driver was looking at the phone, using apps, playing games, talking, texting, or just about anything else they may have been doing with their phone up to and during the accident. If a driver you believe is at fault destroys their phone or erases data the law may allow what is called an “adverse presumption” in your favor. An “adverse presumption” is a legal finding allowing a jury to conclude the lost or destroyed evidence was unfavorable to that party.