Distracted driving covers a wide variety of actions. Texting while driving is just one of the many types of distracted driving behaviors. Talking on the phone, eating food and changing radio stations are all considered forms of distracted driving. Rubbernecking is also a type of distracted driving. A three-vehicle chain reaction crash that occurred near Crowell, Texas is being blamed on rubbernecking. At least five people were injured in a crash that occurred around noon on Tuesday.
The crash happened about five miles east of Crowell on U.S. 70. Corporal Curtis West, a trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety, stated that the crash was a chain-reaction wreck that happened when one of the drivers was staring at a helicopter beside the highway. The helicopter was working a new transmission line next to the roadway. Three other helicopters were called out to transport victims from Wilbarger General Hospital to a hospital in Wichita Falls. Ambulances from Vernon and Quanah were also called out to help transport victims to safety.
Anytime a driver takes his or her attention away from the roadway, he or she is driving distracted. The Texas Department of Transportation reports that there were 90,378 crashes involving distracted driving in Texas in 2012. Their “Talk. Text. Crash.” distracted driving campaign reports that 18,468 serious injuries resulted from those crashes. In addition, those distracted driving crashes resulted in 453 deaths. They also go on to state that almost one in four wrecks in Texas involves a distracted driver. Driver inattention is listed among the common types of distracted driving. Their campaign is urging Texas motorists to remain focused on the road. The Texas Department of Transportation also recommends motorists save non-driving activities and other distractions for their destinations.
If you’ve been injured by a distracted driver, contact the experienced lawyers at the Altman Legal Group for a free consultation. Sometimes, a victim may not even be aware that the other driver was distracted. An experienced attorney can review phone records to determine if the driver was texting or talking on the phone at the time of the wreck. Information regarding inattention of a driver may be listed in a police report. An experienced attorney can gather all the necessary evidence to make sure that a victim’s rights are being protected. The team at the Altman Legal Group wishes all of the victims involved in this chain-reaction crash speedy and full recoveries.