How does one learn what caused a car accident?
Los Angeles residents live in a fast-paced world that demands their constant attention. Whether it be getting the job done at work or coordinating one’s personal life, there is never a shortage of tasks for individuals to accomplish in a given day.
Unfortunately, these demands and distractions can result in serious injury when motorists are more interested in answering a phone call or text message instead of paying attention to the road. For example, last week, this blog discussed a fatal car crash that took the life of a 23-year-old individual because of distracted driving. This case is not unique, as the numbers show an alarming amount of accidents that are now being caused by distracted drivers.
In 2013, distracted drivers caused the deaths of 3,154 people in car accidents. Another 424,000 people were injured because of distracted driving crashes.
The problem with distracted driving is particularly present with younger drivers. In fact, 10 percent of drivers under the age of 20 who were involved in fatal accidents were said to be distracted at the time of the accident. Indeed, individuals under the age of 20 make up the largest proportion of drivers who engage in distracted driving.
Because of the prevalence of distracted driving, it is essential that individuals who are injured get to the bottom of how the crash that resulted in their injuries was caused. In a negligence action, individuals can obtain discovery from the other party and from other sources, which is a process where individuals learn information about the case in order to present their case at trial. If distracted driving is suspected, individuals may be able to obtain discovery shedding light on this issue, such as obtaining phone records or other documentation that can help prove the other driver was distracted at the time of the crash. This evidence, in turn, can then be used at trial to help prove the other motorist’s negligence.
Source: Distraction.gov, “Facts and statistics,” accessed on Aug. 22, 2015