Portland Distracted Driving Accident Attorneys

Hiring a Portland Distracted Driving Accident Attorney Can Help Your Case

Distracted driving is an epidemic that must be stopped. Oregon distracted driver crashes should no longer cause drivers, passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and others on the road to suffer serious injury or death.

At Shulman DuBois, LLC, our Portland distracted driving accident attorneys protect the rights of people injured and family members of those killed in auto accidents caused by another person’s carelessness. If you believe distracted driving caused the accident you were injured in, our personal injury attorneys will help you obtain compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, time away from work, and other damages. Call 503-222-4411 today for a free consultation.

Our Portland Distracted Driving Accident Attorneys Help People Like You Every Day

Distracted driving is a major problem in Oregon and across the United States. It doesn’t help that many drivers are overconfident and don’t think distracted driving affects them. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2009, 5,474 people were killed in the U.S. and an estimated additional 448,000 were injured in accidents that involved distracted driving. Still think it’s okay to text and drive? Think again.

It only takes one moment of distracted driving for a serious Portland distracted driving accident to take place. One form of distracted driving is dangerous enough. Just imagine how much more dangerous it is when two or more of the above distractions are combined. Sadly, it is our younger generations who are the most at risk. The NHTSA reports that 16% of all drivers under the age of 20 involved in fatal accidents in 2009 were reported to have been distracted while driving. As parents ourselves at Shulman DuBois, LLC, this is a major concern. Talk to your children. Don’t just give them the statistics. Educate them about how they can drive safely and defensively. Lead by example and turn your cell phone off while driving with your kids in the car.

Any distraction that takes a driver’s attention away from the road can cause an accident. The three main types of distraction are: visual, manual, and cognitive. Visual distractions cause a driver to take their eyes off of the road. Manual distractions occur when a driver takes their hands off of the wheel. Lastly, cognitive distractions happen when a driver takes their mind off of what they are doing.

Texting while driving involves all three types of distraction. It is against the law in Oregon to use a handheld device while driving. This includes texting. Oregon also has a ban on all cell phone use (handheld and hands-free) for drivers under the age of 18 (novice drivers). Whether a cell phone is handheld or hands-free, studies have shown that using a cell phone while driving delays a driver’s reaction time as much as having a blood alcohol concentration of .08%.

Portland distracted driving accidents are caused far too frequently by the following:

• Using a cell phone to call or text someone
• Eating and drinking
• Applying make-up
• Reading maps or other material
• Talking to passengers
• Changing the radio station, MP3 player, or CD
• Using a navigation system
• Watching a video