Distracted Driving Accidents in Nashville

It takes seconds for a car accident to happen. When it occurs, a person’s life can be changed, often with physical and emotional loss and financial harm. For many people, this happens as a result of distracted driving accidents in Nashville. These accidents are fully preventable, and they can often be devastating.

At Selvidge Injury Law, we work with clients who are facing challenges recovering fair damages after such accidents. Set up a free consultation now with our Nashville car accident attorney.

What Is Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving is a term used to describe a wide range of actions a person engages in while driving a vehicle. Distraction implies that the person’s full focus is not on the roadway itself. While this may not seem like a problem, distracted driving means that, even for a few seconds, the driver is unable to monitor conditions and react to them in a way that keeps others safe.

How Common Is Distracted Driving in Nashville?

In Tennessee, every 23 minutes and 43 seconds, a crash occurs that is caused by a distracted driver, according to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. The organization also shares that about 21% of all drivers who are distracted are between the ages of 25 and 49, but 40% of them are between the ages of 20 and 34. Another way to consider these factors: 1 in every 15 drivers in a car accident in the state was distracted at the time.

On a broader scale, consider that distracted driving claimed the lives of 3,275 people in 2023, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. According to the agency, it takes a person about five seconds to read a text message on their phone while driving. However, that 5 seconds is enough time to travel the length of an entire football field while driving your car at a rate of 55 miles per hour, with your eyes closed, doing so.

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Types of Distracted Driving in Nashville

Distracted driving accidents in Nashville happen for various reasons. Any type of action or inaction that takes away from the driver’s attention puts others at risk. The following are some of the most common types of distracted driving:

Visual Distractions

These distractions are those that pull the driver’s eyes off the roadway, even for just a few seconds at a time. Examples include:

• Checking a text message
• Looking at the person in the backseat
• Looking at the navigation system for directions
• Looking down in their purse or cupholder
• Looking for a store, road sign, or other building to the side of the road

Visual distractions can be anything that causes a person to move their eyes from the roadway, whether inside or outside of the car or truck in Nashville.

Manual Distractions

A manual distraction occurs when a person takes one or both of their hands off the wheel. Even if you are looking at the roadway, you are still less in control when you do not have both hands on the wheel. Examples of manual distracted driving include:

• Eating or drinking while driving
• Opening your phone apps while driving, including to send a text message
• Adjusting the controls on the vehicle, such as the radio or windows
• Putting something in or taking something out of your console or cupholder

Many people may not realize that taking one hand off the wheel to adjust the radio could be considered distracted driving. Yet, it can lead to a serious risk of injury because you have less control.

Cognitive Distractions

Not all distractions are obvious. Some happen when your mind is not focused on the roadway or the task of driving itself, even if you are looking at the road. Examples of cognitive distractions might include:

• Talking with passengers in the car, especially if in a heated discussion
• Daydreaming
• Worrying or being anxious about something unrelated to driving

In these situations, your mind is not focused on the road, which means it will take longer for you to react to changing conditions. This can be highly dangerous because it appears that you are distracted.

What Are the Consequences of Distracted Driving Accidents in Nashville?

Those who are in a distracted driving accident face an uphill battle to recover from the serious injuries that often result from them. In distracted driving, the driver often fails to take evasive action soon enough, and sometimes not at all. That leads to a fast, impactful accident. Serious injuries are common and may include:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Whiplash
• Spinal cord injuries
• Lacerations and deep wounds damaging muscles and ligaments
• Broken bones
• Disfigurement from burns
• Amputations

In many situations, victims lose their lives to the actions of a distracted driver. Learning that a family member lost their life as a result of a distracted driver can be devastating.

Proving a Driver Is at Fault for Distracted Driving

As common as distracted driving behind the wheel is, it can be challenging for a victim to prove that the driver was engaged in other activities and, therefore, responsible for their injuries and losses. When you work with a distracted driving accident attorney in Nashville, we will pull together insights and resources to develop an evidence-based claim for you. Evidence may include:

• Witness statements of those who saw what happened
• Statements made by the other driver to police or witnesses that may share insight
• Police reports that document what the other person was doing
• Evidence in the vehicle, such as food containers
• Cell phone records and messages
• Navigational log data
• Dash cameras

Getting this information and proving the other party was at fault is one of the most important reasons to hire an attorney to represent you. Taking the steps effectively reduces the risk that you suffer serious financial losses without a way to recover those damages. Before you settle a claim, seek the help of a distracted driving attorney.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Distracted Driving Attorney in Nashville

If you were hurt in an accident involving a distracted driver, contact Selvidge Injury Law and let us investigate. Distracted driving accidents in Nashville happen too often and are fully preventable. When you turn to us as a victim, our Nashville personal injury lawyers seek full and fair compensation owed to you from those who put your life on the line and caused all of these injuries. Call us to discuss your unique case with a legal professional today.