Distracted driving results in conviction after deadly crash
Many Los Angeles drivers are aware of the dangers that exist on local highways and streets. For instance, drunk driving is often highlighted as a key area that can result in serious personal injury or death to others on the road. And yet, it is becoming all the more apparent that a simple cell phone can present just as much, if not more, danger than drunk driving.
For instance, a woman was recently convicted of vehicular manslaughter after a distracted driving crash that killed a 23-year-old high school softball coach. The woman made 2 phone calls and sent 14 text messages in the 15 minutes before the crash occurred. The woman’s vehicle was traveling at a speed of at least 80 mph when it hit into the back of the coach’s car, which was at a near-standstill at the time of the crash.
Unfortunately, car accidents like the above are becoming more and more frequent. Fortunately, those who suffer serious injury as a result of another motorist’s distracted driving have options for relief.
In addition to criminal penalties that can attach, as in the case above, there are also civil claims that can be filed against the other motorist. Distracted driving can be used as evidence of that driver’s negligence, which can then be used to order that driver to pay compensation to the injured party. Just as speeding, running a stop sign or other forms of poor driving can support a negligence case, so too can distracted driving, as it constitutes a violation of the rules of the road. The negligent motorist is then responsible for paying damages to the injured party, including medical expenses, lost wages, damages for pain and suffering and more.
Source: NBC Los Angeles, “Woman convicted in distracted driving crash that killed high school softball coach,” Jonathan Lloyd and Vikki Vargas, Aug. 13, 2015