Distracted Driving Causes Accidents

In 2017, Gabriela Torga, then 23 years old, was driving just after 5:00 in the morning when she veered from the left lane to the right shoulder. She overcorrected, slid counter-clockwise, hit the median and then slammed into a tree. She did not survive the crash. No one can definitively say whether Ms. Torga’s cell phone was connected to the crash, but police say when the accident occurred, her phone was on and open to SnapChat and she was driving 55 mph in a 45 zone.

A recent survey by Zendrive found that Houston had more distracted drivers than any other city measured. Nearly one in 12 drivers were found to be using their cell phones while driving. Other studies found that distraction related crashes grew 23 percent from 2012 – 2016. An analysis by the Chronicle showed Houston is the deadliest in the country for drivers. According to their analysis, the number of fatal and injury crashes caused by distracted driving as a likely cause jumped from 5,796 in 2011 to 8,211 in 2016. A national survey by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that out of 2,600 drivers, almost half reported talking on their phone while driving. More than a third reported they had texted or sent an email while on the road.

When someone is injured or dies in a collision, financial recovery may be available. Such recovery is particularly important when permanent, life changing injuries are incurred. It is important to contact someone who understands the intricacies of the injured party’s right to recover.

Abraham Watkins offers a free consultation to anyone wishing to pursue a claim for such injuries or fatalities.