It is no secret that looking away from the road for even a split second can have serious consequences. The importance of full attention is made apparent every day after more and more accidents cause death or serious injury. Many of the accidents are a result of a relatively new invention — the cell phone. Drivers who text or are otherwise preoccupied with their phone are proven to be more likely to cause an accident. Authorities claim that a driver distracted by his cell phone caused a serious accident in North Carolina.
An 18-year-old was traveling on the Blue Ridge Parkway in late July with his 19-year-old passenger. According to authorities, the driver’s cell phone fell onto the car’s floor board. When he attempted to retrieve the phone, he lost control of his vehicle, sending it down a 150 foot drop-off.
Neither of the occupants was wearing their seat belt, and both were thrown from the vehicle. The driver was treated for minor injuries, but his passenger remains in critical condition. As of now, no charges have been filed, but the incident is still under investigation.
If the allegations are true, one has to wonder if the accident, and subsequent injuries to the passenger, would have happened without the distraction of the cell phone. That single moment of distraction caused another person serious injury from which he may never fully recover. In order to help with his medical bills, the injured passenger could file a civil case in a North Carolina court. If the court rules that the driver’s negligence caused the accident, the passenger could receive compensation to alleviate the financial burden caused by his injuries.
Source: wral.com, “Ranger: Dropped cell phone to blame for NC wreck,” July 24, 2013