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One of the biggest distractions of our time is cell phones. However, texting while driving causes many accidents each year across Virginia. Many may not understand the danger of distracted driving.

However, the consequences of texting while driving can be catastrophic. If you suffered injury in a car accident due to a driver texting and driving, contact an experienced personal injury attorney today to begin your road to recovery. 

What Are the Texting and Driving Laws in Virginia? 

The Virginia texting and driving law provides that it is illegal to operate any motor vehicle while using any handheld communication device to communicate or read an email or text message sent to you.

However, the law does not prohibit most individuals from using a mounted handheld device to speak via Bluetooth and to use for navigation. However, the texting and driving law imposes different restrictions for different age groups. For example: 

  • All drivers are banned from texting while driving;
  • Drivers under the age of 18 and bus drivers are prohibited from any cell phone usage while driving; and 
  • Drivers over the age of 18 may use their phones while driving as long as they are not sending or receiving text messages. 

Fines exist for violating the Virginia texting and driving laws. However, the bigger danger lies in the potential harm to others caused by distracted driving. 

What Are the Dangers of Texting and Driving? 

Texting while driving causes multiple accidents per year. The three categories of distracted driving caused by texting and driving include the following:

  • Visual. Looking down at a phone and off the road and surroundings may cause potentially catastrophic consequences in mere seconds. When a person takes their eyes off the road for only five seconds when going 55 miles per hour, the individual may drive the length of a football field. 
  • Manual. If someone takes their hands off their steering wheel to send or receive a text message, this impairs their ability to control the vehicle. They may be unprepared to handle a sharp turn, sudden brake, or other vehicles. 
  • Cognitive. A distraction from a text message not only physically takes attention away from driving but also mentally takes away attention. Cognitive distractions reduce one’s ability to react to changes in the road or other driver behaviors.

Texting and driving accidents occur every day. If you’ve suffered injuries and property damage due to distracted driving, contact an experienced personal injury attorney to assess your rights. 

What to Do After Texting and Driving Accidents

Immediately following an accident involving distracted driving, there are multiple steps to take to protect your rights. These steps include the following:

  • Seek medical attention; 
  • File a police report;
  • Take photos of the accident scene; 
  • Obtain the name, contact information, and insurance information of the other parties involved in the accident;
  • Obtain the names and contact information for any witnesses to the accident; and 
  • Contact a personal injury attorney. 

If the other driver was texting while driving and caused your accident, consult with a personal injury attorney and review your legal options. A personal injury attorney assists in filing a personal injury claim or lawsuit to recover your damages.

Contact Us

Those involved in texting and driving accidents should not get away with harming others as a result of their unlawful choices. People are injured every year due to distracted driving. When you hire an experienced personal injury attorney from River Run Law, you hire an aggressive and passionate advocate working to protect your rights.

If you suffer injury in an accident caused by texting while driving, we can assist in analyzing your case and work to obtain the compensation you deserve.

Contact the attorneys at River Run Law today for a free consultation to review your legal options with our team! 

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Brooke Alexander

Brooke graduated from the University of Richmond School of Law after receiving her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Brooke worked for five years in private practice with a law firm specializing in insurance defense litigation before becoming the trial litigator for Allstate Insurance Company in the metro Richmond area.

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