Distracted Driving Accident in Longmont

To address a growing epidemic on Colorado’s roads, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has designated April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month. If you have noticed drivers on their cell phones while driving, or even if you have used your phone while driving, you know that the problem is real. At Cook, Bradford & Levy, our Longmont personal injury lawyers have represented a growing number of clients who have been seriously injured because a distracted driver has caused a car accident, bike accident, or pedestrian accident. We can help you or your loved one recover from a crash caused by distracted driving. Please take the first step toward getting justice by calling our experienced Longmont accident attorneys today at 303-543-1000 for a free consultation.

According to data released in April of 2019 as part of Distracted Driving Awareness Month, CDOT has found that every day in Colorado 43 auto accidents are caused by distracted drivers. This amounts to 15,673 accidents or 13% of all car crashes every year in our state!

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving is defined as anything that diverts attention away from driving. An experienced Longmont personal injury lawyer has likely seen the many ways that drivers can be distracted, ranging from cell phone use, eating while driving, changing the radio/music, or even horseplay. Indeed, the definition of distracted driving is very broad, which highlights the message from CDOT and NHTSA that focusing on the road should be a driver’s primary task when behind the wheel.

At Cook, Bradford & Levy, LLC, every time a new client – or a potential client – comes to our office we are usually able to quickly analyze the cause of a crash. One clue our Longmont personal injury attorneys see suggesting distracted driving is where the physical damage to the vehicles involved is more than a small bump. This is because distracted drivers often fail to stop at all before colliding with an object or another vehicle. Indeed, distracted driving accidents often involve the full force of a moving vehicle at the time of impact. This means that the injuries to vehicle occupants are usual serious or deadly.

Unfortunately, the data backs this up. According to CDOT, in 2018 of the 15,673 distracted driving accidents, 6,269 resulted in serious injuries and another 53 resulted in death. At Cook, Bradford & Levy, LLC, our Longmont personal injury lawyers have handled both serious injury cases and wrongful death cases, and our team knows first hand how devastating distracted driving accidents can be in Longmont and elsewhere in Colorado.

At Cook, Bradford & Levy, LLC, our lawyers are dedicated to educating our community about the dangers of distracted driving, as well as providing solutions to prevent DD accidents. For example, attorney Brian Bradford is a regular lecturer at local high schools through the “End DD” program (found at EndDD's Website), which was founded by an attorney who lost his daughter to a distracted driver.

One of the solutions recommended by the EndDD organization and CDOT is to download one of several apps that alert people trying to contact you that you are driving and unable to talk, text, or otherwise respond. CDOT provides a list that can be found here. Generally, these apps provide a customizable message to people saying things such as “sorry, I am driving now and will call or text you back when I arrive at my destination.”

Not only do the apps work, but our Longmont personal injury attorneys suggest that there also are other things that can be done to reduce distracted driving risks including:

• Having a passenger respond to the message or pick up the call;
• pulling over your car to complete the call or text;
• waiting to eat your meal until you get home;
• speaking with your passengers about no horseplay while driving;
• having a plan to reduce distractions;
• speaking up in a calm and non-confrontational way if you see the driver of your vehicle driving distracted;
• and many more

At Cook, Bradford & Levy, LLC, we understand that nobody ever wants to be in an accident. However, if you have found yourself or a loved one has been seriously hurt or even killed by a distracted driver, our Longmont personal injury lawyers can help. We are experienced, compassionate, and know the steps that should be taken to hold the distracted driver accountable and help you recover from your injuries. We are only one phone call away. Call us today at 303-543-1000 for a free consultation about your Longmont distracted driving accident.