Texting and Driving Accidents in Oklahoma City
Distraction while driving has been a cause of vehicle accidents for generations, as a driver’s attention leaves the roadway ahead and focuses on tasks inside the car, such as eating, drinking, adjusting a sound system, or picking up a dropped item. Unfortunately, since cell phones became the center of communication, navigation, and entertainment in today’s society, texting and driving has caused a dramatic escalation of distracted driving accidents in Oklahoma City and elsewhere.
If you’ve been injured by a distracted driver, call Dan Davis Law’s experienced Oklahoma City car accident attorneys today at (405) 930-4210 to learn about your legal options and pursue the compensation you deserve.
Understanding the Dangers of Texting and Driving
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3,275 people were killed due to distracted driving in 2023 alone. The NHTSA describes distracted driving as “any activity that diverts a driver’s attention from the road.” National surveys suggest that most drivers agree that texting and driving is dangerous, yet they may feel overconfident about their own ability to text while driving. An alarming 20% of surveyed drivers admit to texting and driving, 15% say they check social media while behind the wheel, 13% admit to watching movies or videos, and 11% report checking their email while driving. All hands-on cell phone activity causes a dangerous distraction for drivers.
While a significant portion of drivers feel that they can safely send a text message while behind the wheel, a car traveling at 55 miles per hour crosses the length of a football field during the five seconds it takes to read or send an average text message. Texting and driving is a significant contributor to the rising number of car accidents in Oklahoma City, despite increased awareness and traffic laws prohibiting texting and driving.
What Are Oklahoma’s Texting and Driving Laws?
Texting and driving in Oklahoma City has been illegal since 2015. Under Okla. Stat. tit. 47 §11-901b, the law states the following:
“The operator of every vehicle, while driving, shall devote their full time and attention to such driving.”
A traffic citation for texting and driving or other distracted driving behaviors may result in a $100 fine for the first infraction, with increasing penalties for subsequent citations. Texting and driving in Oklahoma, or engaging in any hands-on cell phone activity while operating a commercial vehicle, such as a truck or bus, is a misdemeanor offense.
Under Oklahoma traffic laws, a law enforcement officer may only issue a citation for distracted driving if the driver was involved in an accident or was driving dangerously.
What Types of Accidents Are Caused by Texting and Driving In OKC?
Despite the laws prohibiting texting and driving and other distracted driving infractions in Oklahoma City, distracted driving continues to cause accidents such as the following:
- Rear-end collisions
- T-bone accidents (broadside accidents or angle collisions) in intersections
- Head-on collisions due to lane departure
- Sideswipes
- Roadway departures
- Pedestrian accidents
- Collisions with obstacles
A distracted driver not only risks their own life, but also puts the lives of vulnerable motorists sharing the roadway in danger. If you’ve been involved in a crash caused by a distracted driver, an experienced car accident attorney in OKC can help you pursue justice and compensation for your injuries.
Liability for Texting and Driving Accidents In Oklahoma City
When a distracted driver causes an accident, they are liable for damages to the injury victim, including property damage, medical expenses, lost earnings, and compensation for pain and suffering. Under Oklahoma’s fault-based car accident laws, an injury victim must provide evidence demonstrating the following legal premises of liability:
- The driver owed a duty of reasonable care to the injury victim
- They breached this duty through negligence
- Their breach of duty directly caused an accident and injuries
- The injury victim suffered damages from the injury
An Oklahoma City car accident victim bears the burden of proving the distracted driver’s fault through a preponderance of the evidence.
How Can an Oklahoma City Car Accident Lawyer Help?
Proving distracted driving can be challenging, requiring a thorough investigation and meticulous documentation of evidence to make a compelling claim for an injury victim’s full and fair compensation. Contact the experienced Oklahoma City car accident attorneys at Dan Davis Law for prompt action to bring a favorable result in your distracted driving accident claim.