Texting and driving is dangerous and a leading cause of vehicle crashes across the United States and Kentucky. In fact, April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
According to the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety, distracted driving causes over 50,000 vehicle crashes yearly in Kentucky alone. These crashes resulted in more than 15,000 injuries and approximately 200 deaths.
What is Distracted Driving?
Texting and driving is a form of distracted driving. Distracted driving is any activity that takes a driver’s eyes, hands, or mind off of the task of driving.
Distracted driving also includes but is not limited to:
- Eating;
- Daydreaming;
- Sightseeing;
- Talking to backseat passengers;
- Discipling children; and
- Using GPS
The following article details the dangers of texting and driving. It also provides detailed information on cell phone use while driving in Kentucky.
If you suffered distracted driving injuries or lost a loved one to a distracted driver in Kentucky, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. Contact an experienced Louisville car accident attorney for a case consultation.
Distracted Driving is Dangerous
Distracted driving is increasing in Kentucky. As a result, it is at the forefront of submissions to the legislature and a focus of law enforcement.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Kentucky alone witnessed the following:
- 120 fatal vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2021, a 32% increase from 2020;
- An increase in distracted driving fatalities from 104 in 2020 to 136 in 2021; and
- 314 injuries and four deaths from distracted driving accidents in 2018.
Nationwide, 3,522 people were killed due to distracted driving crashes in 2021. This is an 11% increase in distracted-affected fatal vehicle crashes and a 12% increase in the number killed compared to 2020.
The NHTSA further reports that around 13% of distraction-affected crashes every year involve the confirmed use of a smartphone.
Carnegie Mellon notes that driving while using a cell phone reduces the brain activity associated with driving by 37%. Texting and driving takes a driver’s eyes off the road for approximately five seconds while traveling at 55 mph or the length of an entire football field.
Kentucky’s Texting and Driving Laws
No person may read, write, or send a text message while operating a moving vehicle in Kentucky.
There are legal exceptions for the following:
- Using a GPS device;
- Entering a phone number and/or selecting the call option; or
- Calling for emergency police or medical assistance.
Adults may talk on the phone while driving. Teenage drivers under 18 with a learner’s permit or intermediate driver’s license may not use a cell phone in any capacity while driving.
There is an exception for teenagers using a GPS device. However, they must enter a destination into the GPS before setting the vehicle in motion. It makes no difference legally whether the device is hands-on or hands-free.
Drivers who break the law and are cited by police in a distracted driving accident may have this information used against them in a personal injury lawsuit. If you have been injured in an accident by a distracted driver, an experienced texting and driving accident attorney in Louisville can provide legal representation for your case.
Contact an Experienced Louisville Car Accident Attorney Today
If a distracted driver injured you or your loved one, do not wait to speak with an experienced Louisville car accident attorney. At Dolt, Thompson, Shepherd & Conway, PSC, our specialized Louisville personal injury lawyers are known for securing some of the highest jury verdicts and accident settlements in the state.
Dolt, Thompson, Shepherd & Conway, PSC, has a top-notch reputation as a personal injury law firm and is unafraid to challenge large insurance companies in court. Call our legal team at (502) 244-7772 to schedule your complimentary consultation!