Episode 49: Western Kentucky injury attorney Jeff Roberts discusses the dangers posed by distracted and drowsy driving. Jeff has practiced injury law for almost 30 years. He’s handled many cases involving individuals who were harmed by drivers who were negligent behind the wheel.
Distracted Driving Accidents Don’t Have to Happen
Jeff explains that there are various types of distractions that often lead to tragic car wrecks. There have also been numerous instances of tractor trailer accidents involving distracted drivers. The advent of smart phones and DVDs have increased the number of distracted driver accidents over the past 10 years.
With offices in both Calloway County and Christian County, Jeff is surrounded by highly travelled roadways, such as I-69 (formerly the Purchase Parkway), I-24, the Pennyrile Parkway, 68/80, 641 and many others. Cars and trucks with distracted drivers can pose a significant risk to themselves and other people.
The other issue often involved in these types of collisions is a drowsy driver. This could be a person coming home from college or vacation. It can also involve a truck driver who has been driving too many hours without taking the require breaks. Fatigue impairs your judgement and reaction time. Distracted and drowsy driving collisions could be avoided if the drivers were more aware of the dangerous situations they are creating.
Be Aware of Your Speed
People seem to forget that even a few seconds of distraction can have catastrophic consequences. Vehicles can cover a significant distance, even in the time it takes to look down at a cell phone screen. The danger is even more serious at highway speeds. A car or tractor trailer can travel the distance of a football field in seconds. This is especially relevant when you consider the required stopping distance for a large truck. The time lost between the moment the driver’s eyes look away from the road, the delayed reaction and extended stopping distance can result in serious injury and even traffic fatalities.
Defending the Rights of Automobile Collision Victims
Jeff explains that the way he was raised instilled a strong sense of fairness in him. As a plaintiff’s attorney, he represents injury victims, including those involved in traffic accidents. If someone’s negligence causes damages (e.g. bodily injury and/or property damage), they should be held accountable. This applies to people responsible for distracted and drowsy driving accidents.
Interestingly, many of the safety equipment devices found on tractor trailers today are a result of the trucking companies having been held responsible for negligence. In a blog post, Jeff discussed how the requirement for underride bars (“Mansfield bars”) are a specific example of safety equipment that protect other drivers who are involved on tractor trailer accidents.
Horseplay in the Car is Distracted Driving
Young drivers often want to pick up their friends and enjoy the freedom of being able to drive. However, these new drivers are often easily distracted. Horseplay is a perfect example of something that can cause a distracted driving accident. In Episode 28, Jeff explained the rights of passengers involved in a collision. Distracted and drowsy driving accident can easily occur around schools and universities, because pedestrians may not cross at designated crosswalks. If the driver is not attentive, a pedestrian collision is highly likely. Jeff discussed tips to help avoid pedestrian collisions in a previous blog post.
Lasting Emotional Impacts
Over the past 30 years, Jeff Roberts has been involved in cases resulting in serious injuries, amputations and even traffic fatalities. One aspect people may overlook is the lasting emotional impact these collisions have on those involved. The losses can affect the injury victims, their families and even the negligent drivers. At the end of the day, distracting and drowsy driving accidents can easily be avoided.
Jeff Roberts Represents Injured Clients Throughout Kentucky
With offices located in Calloway County and now Christian County, Jeff has a history of representing personal injury clients, workers’ compensation clients and social security disability clients across the state. He’s represented clients from Paducah, Bowling Green, Louisville, Covington, Whitesville and many other Kentucky locations. He’s not just a Western Kentucky injury attorney.
We hope you found this episode insightful and helpful. Thank you for listening!
Is It Time to Speak with an Attorney about Your Automobile Injury Claim?
The office phone number is (270) 753-0053 or toll free at 800-844-5108. For more information, visit www.JeffRobertsLaw.com. This podcast is meant to provide information and is not legal advice. Jeff’s principal office is located at 509 Main Street, Murray, Kentucky. Co-host Jim Ray is a non-attorney spokesperson. This is an advertisement.
