On Tuesday April 20, 2010, a Salt Lake woman was cited for crashing into another car and a city fire hydrant near 2250 South and 500 East. The far right lane of the road was shut down for a couple hours after this Utah car accident due to the foot of water expelled from the fire hydrant, making driving conditions unsafe. for Utah motorists

Another Case of Distracted Driving: Children and Car Accidents

According to Salt Lake Police Department, the woman turned around to talk to her children who were sitting in the backseat. When she returned her focus to the road, the woman saw a cat in the road. She swerved to miss the cat, and hit another car before she collided with a fire hydrant. While no injuries have been reported there are thousands of dollars in property damage to the vehicles and the city.

National Safety Facts for the Road

Fortunately nobody was hurt in the above mention motor vehicle accident. Children can indeed be a major cause of driver distraction. According to the National Safety Council (NCS), driver distraction is a major contributing cause of 80% of motor collisions and of 65% of near crashes. NCS also reports that looking at another object (such as a child) on than the road increases your likelihood of being involved in a motor vehicle accident by 3.7 times. Cell phone use, whether it is talking or texting, is the most common distraction for drivers.

Fatal Texting and Driving Accidents in Utah

During my career as a Utah auto accident attorney, I have had the opportunity to assist several Utah victims of accidents caused by “texting” motorists through the legal process of a personal injury claim. Unfortunately, the problem of “texting and driving” is worsening despite laws banning texting in Utah. In fact, in a statewide survey of Utah high school students, 51% admitted to regularly texting and driving. Driving safely requires giving your full attention to the road. It is indeed a challenge to balance driving with all the distractions of passengers, music, news, work, and other pressures of life. However, texting and driving and other types of driver distractions cause Utah motor vehicle accidents that result in serious injuries and even death.

Case Study:

According to Zero Fatalities, 29 Utah teenagers died on Utah roads in 2008 alone. 18 year-old Xander Jordan of Draper, Utah, died in a car accident in 2008. Jordan was texting on his phone just before he lost control of his Ford Mustang which caused the fatal car accident.

If you or someone you know has been injured in an accident caused by someone who was texting or talking on their cell phones, it is wise to contact a skilled Utah personal injury lawyer. An experienced Utah accident and personal injury attorney will request several time sensitive pieces of evidence that are vital to proving liability. The attorneys of the Christensen Law Firm specialize in these types of cases and will aggressively pursue all avenues to ensure that your legal rights are upheld. You can contact us at 801.506.0800 to schedule a FREE no obligation consultation with an experienced accident lawyer.