Technology Can Prove Dangerous to Drivers
While advances in communications technology have been great for a lot of aspects of life like business, family, and even the military, such advances have not been equally beneficial to America’s roadways. Increasing reliance on mobile phones and other entertainment or communications devices is making the roads increasingly more dangerous. Many drivers now participate in a form of negligent driving known as “distracted driving,” which involves a driver being so distracted by something, in this case some sort of mobile device, that he or she does not keep a proper lookout and pay attention to the roadway. One would think this problem has been remedied somewhat by the various types of “hands-free” devices that have hit the market which purportedly enable the driver to carry out certain functions while never diverting their eyes from the roadway or taking their hands off the wheel. A California man recently proved that such devices may not have helped cure negligent driving at all.
There is something especially terrifying about being surprised by an unexpected noise, occurrence, or living creature. The reactions to such scary surprises are often spontaneous and uncontrollable and can lead the terrified victims of such surprises to act in an irrational manner. Such was the case with a twenty-eight year-old man in California whose terror recently caused him to drive through a guardrail and into a creek after being ambushed by the unexpected activation of his hands-free communications device. Luckily for the man, he is an armed security officer at a California casino and was able to use his gun to shoot out the windows of his SUV and escape the situation unharmed although his pride may have suffered fatal injury.
Luckily no one was injured in the above scenario, but distracted driving has the potential to injure not only the driver but anyone else in the driver’s vicinity on the roadway. Even communications devices that seem more conducive to driving can lead to negligence just as occurred in this scenario. Drivers need to be sure that they are able to use any communications devices in their vehicles without diverting their attention from the road or being terrified to the point that their vehicles careens off the roadway. Drivers who injure others due to distracted driving in East Tennessee may find themselves liable for a litany of expenses in a Knoxville personal injury lawsuit, such as medical expenses, property damage expenses, and possibly even wrongful death.
Source: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/WaterCooler/wireStory?id=9601669
