Distracted Driving Motorcycle Accidents in St. Louis
The safety risks for motorcycle riders and car drivers are very different, for many reasons. One under-appreciated factor is distracted driving, particularly since the creation of the smartphone. It is hard to check your Facebook status on a motorcycle, so very few riders crash because they are distracted. In cars, on the other hand, distracted driving crashes are becoming an epidemic. At The Dixon Injury Firm, our STL motorcycle accident lawyers can help those who have been injured as a result of distracted driving and work toward fair compensation.
If you are looking for a skilled St. Louis distracted driving motorcycle accident lawyer, your search is over. Contact our firm today to schedule a free case review.
Distracted Motorcycle Driving Is Deadly
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have made strong efforts at fighting back at the federal level. The Missouri state government is involved as well, with its “MO Eyes on the Road” program. The NHTSA says that 3,477 people died in distracted driving crashes in 2015 alone, and the CDC points out that there are approximately nine people killed every day. The NHTSA also points out that sending or reading a text takes a driver’s eyes off the road for five seconds. At 55 miles per hour, that is like driving the length of a football field blindfolded.
Various peer-reviewed studies have shown the obvious, that drivers should never use any touch messaging system (like texting, Facebook, or Twitter). Studies have also found that teenage drivers are especially prone to distracted driving crashes. The Missouri government points out that eating, drinking, grooming, and noisy passengers are all distractions in the car. Missouri only prohibits drivers 21 or younger from texting while driving, though. These young drivers can be fined $200 and have two points added to their driver’s license for a violation. As the CDC points out, however, studies done so far on the effectiveness of cell phone bans have not shown them to be effective.
Missouri uses insurance companies as one way to get teen drivers in line. The government points out that teens could be kicked off of their parent’s insurance for having a distracted driving accident. Even if they do not lose their insurance, their parent’s rates could skyrocket. Insurance companies are trying to encourage better behavior in a few different ways. For one, they are encouraging drivers to install cell phone apps that disable their phone when driving. Similar apps are also available to allow parents to track their kid’s cell phone usage. Some insurance companies are offering electronic systems like inward-facing dash cameras that can watch a driver’s behavior. Adopting this technology can lead to reduced insurance premiums in many cases.
New Forensic Evidence
Today, almost every driver is carrying a wealth of information about their driving habits. It is all right in their smartphones. A company called TrueMotion has started studying exactly what drivers are doing with their phones, and their reports are startling. One showed that about 92% of drivers are using their phones in some way, and drivers are distracted about 21% of the time. 71% of drivers are texting, 18% are holding their phones, and 6% are taking calls. Happily, Google Maps was found to be the most popular app. That at least makes sense. Other popular apps are more disturbing, including Pokemon Go, YouTube, and Netflix.
Experienced Legal Professionals at Your Service
Our STL personal injury lawyers can often get hold of cell phone records in a lawsuit, and these reports can show exactly what was happening on the phone at the time of a crash. If you have been injured, you want a lawyer that is experienced in working with crash reconstructionists and their state-of-the-art technology to demonstrate exactly what happened in a distracted driving crash. Chris Dixon has spent his whole career fighting for people that have been wrongfully injured in the St. Louis, Missouri, area, and he is happy to provide you with a free evaluation of your case.
The Dixon Injury Firm
9666 Olive Blvd #202,
St. Louis, MO 63132
Phone:(314) 208-2808