Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog
According to state police officers, a Massachusetts teen was reaching into his bag of fast food on her lap when she slammed her vehicle into an officer’s cruiser. The 18-year-old driver from Westfield allegedly blew through a red light just before 1:00 a.m. when she slammed into Trooper Daniel Moran, who had a flashing yellow light, according to FOX Carolina.
According to a Massachusetts State Police (MSP) spokesman, there’s evidence that the young driver was eating from her bag of McDonalds when the accident occurred. The young driver says she doesn’t recall the details. She has been cited for not wearing a seat belt, for neglecting to yield to a traffic signal and for impeding operation of a motor vehicle with food in her lap.
Our Westfield car accident lawyers understand that when the topic of distracted driving comes up that you usually hear about cell phones and text messaging devices. Well, there’s a whole slew of distractions that can cause you to get into an accident, and eating behind the wheel is one of them. Aside from using a cell phone, distractions can result from eating, from putting on makeup, from playing with the radio and from talking with passengers.
Top Driver Distractions, According to AOL Autos:
-Applying makeup. We’re all on a tight schedule nowadays, but the driver’s seat shouldn’t be used as your bathroom. Not only are you diverting your attention from the road, you’re also at risk of looking like a sad clown by the time you get to the office.
-Shaving. Believe it not, men are shaving their faces in the rear-view mirror. Just because your razor is cordless does not mean that it should be brought everywhere.
-Eating. You’ve got a cheeseburger in one hand, your soda in the other and your fries between your legs. It’s an equation that oftentimes equals a car accident.
-Reading. A good book will still be just as good when you start to read it after you get out of your car. It’s not going anywhere. Pay attention to the road!
-Cell phones. “Research shows that driving while using a cell phone can pose a serious cognitive distraction and degrade driver performance,” say officials with the NHTSA.
-Texting. This is something that takes all of your attention off of the road. Your eyes of the road, your hands off of the wheel and your mind off of the task at hand — driving. Texting is not safe at any speed but zero.
-Lounging. One of the first things you learn in driver’s education is how to properly sit in a driver’s seat. Still, far too many drivers slouch in their seat, lean on the door, throw their foot up on the seat and hang their foot out of the window. All of this slows your reaction time and compromises your safety.
-Singing. Yes, we might all think we’re Toni Braxton behind the wheel, but regardless of how well we belt out to our favorite tunes, the truth of the matter is that we’re all increasing our risks for an accident.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, contact Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights. Call (617) 777-7777 today!
More Blog Entries:
Red Stickers: The Answer to Teen Car Accident Risks in Massachusetts?, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, August 15, 2012
Save Lives: Take AT&T’s Pledge to Stop Texting Behind the Wheel, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, August 10, 2012