According to data from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT), nearly 8,000 motorists were injured over five years due to distracted driving. Distracted driving fatalities occur most frequently among motorists aged 31-50 and motorists under 21, with 40 fatalities per age group. Distracted driving fatalities are among the leading causes of death among Oklahoma motorists, particularly among female drivers.
These statistics illustrate the dangers that distracted driving poses to all road users in Oklahoma. In addition to prohibiting texting while driving, Oklahoma’s laws impose other restrictions on motorists to reduce distracted driving collisions. Keep reading to learn more about the laws, the risks of distracted driving, and how an attorney could help if you’re involved in a distracted driving accident in Oklahoma.
Oklahoma’s Distracted Driving Law
Under Oklahoma’s distracted driving law, drivers may not use a cell phone or other electronic communications device to read, write, or send text-based communications, such as text messages, emails, or social media posts. The law also prohibits commercial drivers from using hand-held mobile telephones while driving, except when communicating with law enforcement or emergency services or when a public school bus driver communicates with central dispatch.
Any driver who violates the distracted driving laws is subject to a fine of $100.
Risks of Distracted Driving
A brief distraction can cause a significant hazard. When a driver reads a text message, a vehicle traveling at highway speeds can travel the length of a football field or more. In that time, a distracted driver may fail to notice traffic slowing down or coming to a complete stop or another vehicle moving into their lane.
Distracted driving can lead to more violent collisions because distracted drivers may not brake or swerve in time to avoid collisions, so the force of impact can be stronger and result in more severe injuries.
How Cain Law Can Help
After a distracted driving accident, the attorneys of Cain Law can help you pursue compensation for your medical bills, car repairs, lost income, and pain and suffering by:
- Investigating the crash to recover and preserve evidence proving that the other driver caused the accident due to distracted driving, such as cell phone records, surveillance or traffic camera footage, accident scene photos, or eyewitness testimony
- Documenting your losses to calculate the total amount of compensation you deserve to recover in your case
- Evaluating your legal options for seeking compensation, including identifying liable parties and applicable insurance policies
- Drafting and filing your claims and demand letters and aggressively pursuing maximum financial recovery for you through a negotiated settlement or by taking your claims to trial
If you’ve suffered injuries in a traffic crash caused by a distracted driver, get help to pursue financial relief and justice from the negligent driver. Contact Cain Law today for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your legal options with a knowledgeable distracted driving accident attorney in Oklahoma.
