West Virginia Texting While Driving Accident Attorneys

Texting Drivers Cause Deadly Accidents

When texting, not watching the road ahead, the dangers of causing a car accident are greatly increased. Statistics and reports have clearly shown that texting while driving is a common cause of very serious accidents, and many serious or fatal injuries. A close second to drunk driving accidents, texting while driving accidents are reported to be one of the most dangerous types of vehicle-related accidents.

Some of the most common injuries seen in texting while driving accidents include:

• Cuts and bruises
• Broken bones
• Burn injuries
• Head and neck injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Permanent scarring or disfigurement
• Wrongful death

Why Is Texting & Driving Dangerous?

Whenever drivers use their phone, they are no longer giving the road their full attention. Anything that pulls the driver’s attention away from the road, either visually, physically, or mentally, is considered a distraction. Drivers have a certain responsibility to abide by traffic laws and use reasonable caution.

When drivers send, receive, or compose text messages, they become distracted and disregard these safety measures. If you are driving around 55 mph and you look away from the road to read a message on your phone, which typically takes around 4.6 seconds, you would end up looking away from the road for the length of an entire football field. During that time it would be easy to accidentally drift into a neighboring lane, accidentally veer off of the road entirely, or even into oncoming traffic. While looking down at your phone you might also miss an upcoming stop sign, red light, or stopped car.

Any of these small oversights could have enormously damaging, if not deadly, repercussions. Regardless of how cautious drivers think they are, using a phone while behind the wheel will put both and put the driver and everyone else on the road at risk.

West Virginia's Texting & Driving Laws

Due to the dangers associated with texting while driving, the state of West Virginia has laws in place which ban texting the use of handheld devices for all drivers. West Virginia began taking action to discourage drivers from engaging in distracted behavior while operating a motor vehicle in 2012. The state now prohibits:

• Texting
• Using a handheld device to talk text or email unless in non-emergency situations
• Drivers with a learner’s permit or intermediate license from using a handheld or hands-free cellphone
• Bus drivers from texting or using a handheld device

Novice drivers are banned from any cell phone use while driving, regardless of whether it is on a handheld or hands-free device.