Naples Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer
Florida Distracted Driving Accident Attorney Serving Injury Victims in Naples
Distracted driving is a serious and deadly problem throughout Southwest Florida. While distractions have been causing motor vehicle collisions for decades, the increased use of smartphones and other forms of technology have resulted in significantly higher rates of distracted driving crashes, particularly among motorists who are talking or texting on handheld cell phones. If you or somebody you love got hurt in a crash caused by a distracted driver, an experienced Naples distracted driving accidents lawyer at our firm is here to help.
Learning More About Distracted Driving in Naples
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving “is any activity that diverts attention from driving, including talking or texting on your phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, fiddling with the stereo, entertainment, or navigation system—anything that takes your attention away from the task of safe driving.” The NHTSA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide the following facts and figures that highlight just how dangerous distracted driving can be:
- Distracted driving resulted in 3,142 deaths in 2019 alone;
- Average of 8 people are killed everyday in collisions involving a distracted driver;
- Texting while driving is one of the most dangerous types of distractions given that sending a text message requires a person to take their eyes off the road for approximately 5 seconds, which the NHTSA explains is “like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed” if you are driving at 55 miles per hour;
- About 400,000 people sustain injuries in distracted driving accidents every year;
- Approximately 20 percent of people killed in distracted driving collisions are pedestrians or bicyclists; and
- 25 percent of all distracted drivers involved in fatal collisions are between the ages of 20-29; and
- Teen drivers between the ages of 15-19 are most likely to be involved in a distracted driving accident.
Types of Car Accident Distractions in Naples, Florida
The CDC identifies three different types of distractions, all of which can result in serious collisions with the distracted driver being liable for injuries:
- Visual distractions that result in taking your eyes away from the road;
- Manual distractions that involve taking your hands off the steering wheel; and
- Cognitive distractions that involve taking your mind away from the task of driving.
Naples Distracted Driving Statute of Limitations
Since Florida is a no-fault state for auto claims purposes, it will be important to work with a distracted driving accident lawyer in Naples to determine whether you could be eligible to file a lawsuit against the distracted driver who caused your injuries. If you are eligible to file a car accident lawsuit, it is critical to know that you will have only four years from the date of the injury to file your claim under Florida law.
Contact Our Distracted Driving Accident Lawyers
If you were injured in a collision caused by a distracted driver, you could be eligible to file a claim for financial compensation. One of our experienced distracted driving accident attorneys in Naples can provide you with more information about filing a car accident lawsuit in Florida’s no-fault system. Contact Cardinal Law, P.A. to learn more about how we can assist you.