Tallahassee Distracted Driving Accident Attorney

If you are injured by a distracted driver, it is important that you know how to protect your rights, including your right to compensation.

Florida is known for being one of the worst states when it comes to distracted driving, meaning your chances of being hit by someone who is distracted behind the wheel are high.

Contact Shapiro Law Firm, P.A. to learn how our Tallahassee distracted driving accident attorney can help you get back on your feet. Call (850) 629-7226 for a free consultation.

Common Causes of Distracted Driving

The distracted driver could be:

• Texting
• Eating
• Adjusting controls
• Or looking at a GPS

What you do immediately after the accident can make all the difference in your recovery. Whether your car was totaled, you were severely injured, or you lost a loved one in a distracted driving crash, one of the most important things you can do to protect your rights is to contact an experienced attorney.

The insurance company is not on your side; you need a lawyer who can fight back against their attempts to reduce your payout or deny your claim and help you fight for the justice you deserve.

Understanding Florida’s Anti-Distracted Driving Law

Florida’s anti-distracted driving law, known as the Wireless Communications While Driving Law, went into effect on July 1, 2019. The law allows police officers to issue citations to drivers who use a wireless communications device to manually send text-based communications while operating a motor vehicle.

This includes:

• Typing, sending, or reading text messages on a cell phone
• Posting to social media sites, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok
• Sending or reading an email on a laptop, tablet, or similar handheld device
• Typing a message using a handheld electronic gaming device

This is not an exhaustive list; any form of text-based communication using a handheld electronic device while operating a motor vehicle is prohibited under Florida’s anti-distracted driving laws. The law also prohibits using a handheld device in school zones and work zones.

How to Prove Distracted Driving

Although Florida law specifically relates to using a handheld electronic communications device to manually send text-based communications, this is far from the only type of distracted driving. In fact, anything that takes a motorist’s attention away from driving is considered a driving distraction—and those who engage in them and cause accidents can be held liable.

Proving that another driver was distracted and that this was the cause of the crash that left you injured is critical in filing a personal injury lawsuit, but it can also be incredibly difficult without an exhaustive investigation.

At Shapiro Law Firm, P.A., we look into the accident to determine if the driver who hit you was engaged in any of the following driving distractions:

• Manual Distractions: Any actions that caused the driver to remove his or her hands from the steering wheel, such as texting, eating, reaching for an item, or adjusting vehicle controls
• Visual Distractions: Actions that caused the driver to take his or her eyes off the road, such as looking at a GPS device/navigational system, reading billboards, or rubbernecking
• Cognitive Distractions: Anything that diverted the driver’s attention away from the task of driving, such as talking to a passenger or daydreaming

When building powerful cases for his clients, our Tallahassee distracted driving accident lawyer:

• Evaluates the defendants’ cell phone records
• Talks to witnesses
• Works with accident reconstructionist
• And collects other evidence proving that distracted driving was the cause of these accidents

He and his team here at Shapiro Law Firm, P.A. understand the many complexities inherent in these types of claims, as well as what it takes to go up against major insurance providers—and win.