Motor vehicle operators are prohibited by law from engaging in activities that interfere with the safe operation of their vehicle. Despite that rule of law, distracted driving remains a serious danger on our roadways. In Wisconsin, e.g., one person was injured or killed in an inattentive driving-related crash every 46 minutes, according to reports of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. One every 46 minutes!

In the two years preceding 2016, the report adds, injury and fatality figures from distracted driving crashes “increased significantly.” In addition, the report concludes, inattentive driving is “almost certainly under-reported,” especially because of the increase in cell phone use and the difficulty of determining cell phone use in a crash.

Think of how often you have seen a driver talking or texting while driving on the roadway or stopped at a red light alongside your car. Or tuning their car’s radio. Or putting on make-up. Or eating. Or looking at a GPS device. Each of these activities can distract the driver from the safe operation of the vehicle. Each can cause injury and death.

It has been estimated that reading – not writing, but just reading – a text message while driving distracts a driver for a minimum of five seconds. At 45 mph, a car will travel 110 yards in five seconds­; greater than the length of a football field! The simple act of reading a text message has the same impact as closing your eyes for five seconds while driving. The danger is obvious.

If you have been injured in a collision where the other driver may have been driving while distracted, you need the help of an experienced personal injury attorney at Clifford & Raihala. Each personal injury attorney at Clifford & Raihala investigates crashes to see if our client has been injured due to the inattention of a distracted driver. When that happens, the other driver is negligent and should compensate our client for losses suffered, both physical and economic. Our experienced Wisconsin personal injury attorneys know that collisions due to distracted driving are preventable if drivers follow the basic rule: Just Drive!

If you’ve been injured in a collision and believe it may have been caused by another driver’s distracted driving, contact a Clifford & Raihala Wisconsin personal injury attorney for a free consultation and evaluation of your claim.