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Cellphones And Distracted Driving

Distractions while driving can come in many forms, including pets and children, food and drink, the behavior of other drivers and frustrating navigation systems. However, the most dangerous form of distracted driving involves cellphone usage.

According to the National Safety Council, nearly 1.6 million crashes – or 25% of all accidents in the United States – are caused by cellphone usage every year. These accidents cause over 390,000 injuries per year.

Colorado’s Distracted Driving Problem

In Colorado, there are more than 40 accidents due to distracted driving every day. Colorado law prohibits texting while driving for all ages. It is also illegal to interact with your screen in any way that causes you to drive in a careless or imprudent manner. For drivers younger than age 18, it is illegal to use a cellphone for any purpose at all while driving, except to call law enforcement. These laws acknowledge the danger of cellphone usage for drivers, especially younger drivers, but also recognize that an outright ban may be impractical in a country where most people spend 5% of their lives behind the wheel and use cellphones to access playlists and navigation systems, for example.

The Penalties For Distracted Driving In Colorado

In Colorado, if you are caught texting while driving, then you may be charged with a class 2 misdemeanor and a $300 ticket, with four points added to your driver’s license. This ticket will drastically increase your insurance premiums. If your texting leads to the injury or death of another person, the offense is considered a class 1 misdemeanor and carries 10 days to one year in jail. It could also lead to a reckless driving ticket or a vehicular homicide charge.

Just Don’t Do It

An accident caused by distracted driving implies a higher level of negligence than a typical accident. To protect yourself and others, both physically and from a legal standpoint, never text and drive. Texting while driving can usually be proven through cellphone records or cell tower data.

There are many applications available to protect drivers from distracting texts and calls while driving. Some of these are:

  • AT&T DriveMode
  • LifeSaver
  • SafeRide

Injured By A Distracted Driver? Call A Personal Injury Lawyer.

At Shafner Injury Law, we have helped hundreds of car accident victims who were injured by another driver’s negligence, including the negligence of distracted drivers. If you have been injured in an accident with a distracted driver, contact us, Denver personal injury attorneys, at Shafner Injury Law. We want to help you.

For a free consultation, call our office at 720-800-4715 or fill out an online contact form.