Drivers at Greater Risks for Accidents in Winston-Salem
In Winston-Salem, there are some drivers that are at a greater risk for accidents than other drivers. It is important for an individual to know about the potential for at-risk drivers in Winston-Salem, and the various driving laws and regulations. Teen drivers are much more at risk than more experienced drivers to get into an accident in Winston-Salem.
If you have been involved in an auto accident, it is important that you contact an experienced car accident attorney as soon as possible. A knowledgeable lawyer will be able to put together a case to help produce a positive outcome on behalf of their client.
Potential Risks
Teens are far less experienced than older drivers and are considered novice drivers. A novice driver is somebody who is a newly-licensed provisional licensee under the graduated licensing system. They are more likely to have the car filled with other teens, with more opportunity for distraction such as conversations, listening to loud music, interactions with cell phones, and things of that nature. These are just a few of the risks associated with new drivers in Winston-Salem.
Parents should tell their teen to contact law enforcement officials in the event that they are involved in a car accident. Parents should have honest conversations about avoiding distractions when their children are driving, particularly cellphone use. Text messages can wait to be read or sent until an individual gets safely at their destination. That is the best thing parents can do to help their teens prevent accidents.
Cell Phone Laws
The same rules and laws apply to the teens when it comes to car accidents as they do to more experienced drivers. Whether an individual has been driving for six months or 60 months, they are expected to adhere to the same standards. At this time, people who own vehicles are not specifically prohibited from using cell phones when driving, however, they are prohibited from texting and driving. Texting while driving is among the top causes of accidents among at-risk drivers in Winston-Salem.
Commercial vehicle drivers like trucks or trailers are prohibited from using a cell phone at all. They cannot interact with the actual cell phone while they are operating a motor vehicle and that includes sitting at stop lights. They can use their Bluetooth headsets. At military installations, a person is prohibited from using their cellphone while driving on federal property.
Consequences of Cell Phone Use
Cell phone use is seen more often as technology becomes more available. It opens the door for an argument that an individual was not paying attention and potentially partially at fault for the collision. This is more common among novice drivers who are at a greater risk for accidents in Winston-Salem.
If the other party was using a phone, that increases the strength of an individual’s claim as far as establishing liability on the other driver. If both drivers are using a phone, it opens the door to contributory negligence. The cell phone records are needed in a car accident claim involving cellphones.
A person usually does not need to grant the insurance company access to their phone outside of the context of litigation. Once a lawsuit is filed, both parties routinely issue subpoenas to the cellphone company for the cell phone records at the relevant time of the collision.
