Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of motor vehicle accidents in Texas. Every driver on the road has a responsibility to pay attention, follow traffic laws, and operate their vehicle safely. When a driver chooses to text, use their phone, or engage in other distracting behaviors behind the wheel, they are putting everyone around them at risk — including other drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists. The consequences of distracted driving can be catastrophic, resulting in serious injuries or even wrongful death.
If you have been injured by a distracted driver, Alford Law PLLC can help you pursue full and fair compensation. We investigate accidents thoroughly, gathering evidence such as cell phone records, witness statements, dashcam footage, and accident reconstruction data to prove that the other driver was not paying attention. We believe in holding negligent drivers accountable and fighting to make sure victims and their families are properly compensated for the harm they have suffered.
Types of Distracted Driving
Distracted driving takes many forms, but safety experts categorize distractions into three main types:
- Visual distractions — Anything that takes a driver's eyes off the road. This includes looking at a phone screen, checking a GPS, turning to talk to a passenger, or rubbernecking at another accident scene. Even a few seconds of looking away from the road at highway speed can mean traveling the length of a football field without watching where you're going.
- Manual distractions — Anything that takes a driver's hands off the steering wheel. This includes holding a phone, eating or drinking, reaching for objects in the car, adjusting controls on the dashboard, or grooming. When a driver's hands are not on the wheel, their ability to steer, brake, or react to sudden hazards is severely compromised.
- Cognitive distractions — Anything that takes a driver's mind off the task of driving. This includes being lost in thought, having an intense conversation (even hands-free), being emotionally upset, or being under the influence of fatigue. A driver can be looking at the road with both hands on the wheel and still be dangerously distracted if their mind is somewhere else.
Texting while driving is the most dangerous form of distraction because it involves all three types at once — the driver's eyes leave the road, their hands leave the wheel, and their mind focuses on the message instead of driving. Texas law prohibits texting while driving, and violators face fines. However, the real cost of texting and driving is measured in lives lost and families destroyed.
Common Distracted Driving Behaviors
- Cell phone use and texting — The most common and most dangerous distraction. Reading, writing, or sending a text takes a driver's eyes off the road for an average of 5 seconds.
- Social media and apps — Scrolling through social media, taking photos or videos, or using apps while driving is increasingly common and equally dangerous.
- GPS and navigation — Programming or adjusting a navigation system while the vehicle is in motion takes eyes, hands, and attention away from driving.
- Eating and drinking — Common on long drives and commutes, eating behind the wheel reduces a driver's ability to steer and react to hazards.
- Talking to passengers — Animated conversations, turning to look at passengers, or dealing with children in the back seat can all divert attention from the road.
- Adjusting controls — Changing the radio, adjusting climate controls, or fiddling with mirrors while driving creates momentary but dangerous lapses in attention.
- Daydreaming and fatigue — Being lost in thought or drowsy behind the wheel causes many of the same impairments as other forms of distraction. Fatigued driving can be just as dangerous as drunk driving.
Why Texas Victims Choose Alford Law
After a distracted driving accident, our lawyers move quickly to preserve critical evidence — cell phone records, dashcam footage, witness statements, and accident reconstruction data — before it disappears. We can establish that the other driver was not paying attention, identify all liable parties, and fight to make sure you receive full compensation for your injuries, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. With offices in San Marcos, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Houston, and Corpus Christi, we are available 24/7 and never charge a fee unless we win your case.