Keeping a phone accessible while driving can be extremely hazardous. When a Colorado driver is looking down at his or her phone, a car accident can happen within an instant. It can be very tempting for a motorist to want to grab the phone to see when someone has responded to a text for fear of missing something. When a driver is behind the wheel, he or she should be paying attention to the road because everything else can wait until later.
According to reports, a man who had his phone on his lap lost it while he was driving. As he bent down to retrieve it, he missed a stop light. He reportedly smashed into the back of a state trooper who was stopped at a red light. The trooper’s vehicle then hit another stopped car in front of him. Investigators claim that the original driver never hit his brakes.
The trooper received injuries and was sent to local hospital. He was later released to continue his healing at home. The driver’s two daughters were with him at the time of the accident. According to the eldest daughter, she claimed that her father had nearly started crying from the impact of the event when he realized that everyone could have ended up in the hospital. The driver was charged with four points on his license, a misdemeanor and reckless driving.
According to a Colorado State Trooper, there have been an increasing number of police vehicles involved in motor vehicle accidents. He also stated that it is mainly attributed to drivers not being attentive while they are driving. If a person has been injured in a car accident, he or she can file a personal injury claim against the driver. Should the claim be successful, the person may be awarded compensation for medical expenses as well as damages for pain and suffering. Police officers who are injured in such accidents are often eligible to file third-party personal injury claims against drivers in addition to any workers’ compensation benefits to which they may be entitled.
Source: CBS Denver, “Trooper Injured In Crash May Have Been Caused By Distracted Driver“, , May 2, 2014
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