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Why you should avoid using your cell phone behind the wheel

On Behalf of | Sep 15, 2017 | Car Accidents

In the past few years, anti-distracted driving campaigns have become ubiquitous with auto safety. Countless lives have been lost in accidents caused by texting while driving (and talking on a cell phone) while behind the wheel.

Even with the warnings about how far a car travels when a driver takes his or her eyes off the road, there are many people who still use their phones while behind the wheel; ostensibly under the impression that bad things won’t happen to them. Even with the summer driving season past us, it is important to remind our readers of the legal consequences that distracted driving could have. 

Essentially, drivers in Oklahoma have a duty to use reasonable care while behind the wheel. This means that they must obey traffic rules, speed limits and do their best to limit distractions while driving. As such, part of this duty involves refraining from using a cell phone (or any other mobile device) while driving.

If a driver ignores this duty and uses their phone anyway, and an accident occurs, the cell phone use could be viewed as a breach of the duty to use reasonable care. Basically, the breach could be seen as the proximate cause of the accident, which could leave the offending driver liable for the damage to the vehicles involved, as well as the parties who are injured.

So as you drive around (or through) Oklahoma this fall, take care to put your cell phones away while you are behind the wheel.

The preceding is not legal advice. 

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