In recent years, awareness of potential dangers when using a cell phone while driving has greatly increased. More and more people were getting into car accidents due to being on the phone when driving. Usually when people talk about this issue, it involves one car that crashes into another. However, bicyclists can also suffer the dire consequences of a driver’s distraction too. In our society, attachments to these little tools has led to vast devastation when lives are lost due to a driver either texting, talking on the phone or browsing social media.
In the article here, we have answered questions about why this handy tool contributes to bicycle accidents and why you may want to meet with an attorney if you are ever struck by a distracted driver.
Why is using a cell phone while driving such a habit for people?
If you think about how often we use a cell phone on a daily basis, it makes sense why it is so difficult to part ways with it once we get into the driver’s seat of a car. This tool has become a major way that we communicate, do our work, send emails, play video games, watch television, pay bills, order food, and more. Most of what we need is all combined into one small little device. If someone wanted to try and break an addiction to their cell phone, they can consider the following tips:
- If you are in the midst of a conversation and have to start driving, either finish your phone call before you drive or tell the person you have to call them back. The person who you were talking with will probably be happy that you decided to not drive while distracted, and will gladly wait to hear from you until you have arrived safely.
- Do not just try to distance yourself from your cell phone only when driving. If you want to truly break the habit, you can practice taking time outs from your phone as you go about your daily routine. The average person checks their cell phone about fifty or more times a day. Try to check your phone less and less often, so the desire to reach over and grab it is not as tempting.
- When driving, keep the phone off and in the locked glove compartment. This is so you do not get distracted by beeps or buzzes, and cannot physically remove the phone from the compartment until you have stopped the car.
What if I am hit by a driver that was using their cell phone when it happened?
As a bicyclist, chances are you have sustained serious injuries as a result of being hit by a car. It is rare for a rider to walk away from the scene of such an accident without at least scrapes and bruises. Always call for police and a medical team for support. Then, you may want to consider meeting with a top rated bicycle accident lawyer in Salt Lake City, UT if you had to pay money for your injury treatment. The driver at-fault may have to pay you compensation for bicycle repair costs, medical bills, and loss of pay if you had to miss work due to the injuries.
Thank you to our friends and contributors at Rasmussen & Miner for their knowledge about bike accidents.