Two California Bicyclists Suffer Serious Injuries in an Accident Where Distracted Driving May Have Been a Factor

California’s Office of Traffic Safety’s website says that, in 2017, 3,166 people lost their lives around the country due to distracted driving accidents. That figure represented nearly 10% of all traffic fatalities. These numbers provide a clear and stark reminder of how dangerous it is when a driver drives without his/her eyes, hands and mindfully focused on the task of driving. If you’re injured in a distracted driving accident, you should act promptly to get in touch with a knowledgeable San Mateo injury attorney to discover and pursue your legal options. Back in October, this blog covered an accident in San Francisco that was potentially the result of distracted driving. Fortunately, no one was hurt in that crash. More recently, another accident with some similarities occurred in Fresno County. Regrettably, this accident was not injury-free. In that more recent event, a pair of men were riding their bicycles north of Fresno when the driver of a westbound Honda Civic “lost control and drifted onto the shoulder of the road,” according to an ABC 30 report. The vehicle hit the two bicycles head-on. Both of the bicyclists were transported to a nearby hospital with “major to critical injuries,” according to the report. The pair’s injuries included concussions and a possible orbital fracture. While the police did not disclose an official cause for the crash, a CHP spokesperson’s statement to ABC 30 seemed to offer some clues. “Just make sure you are attentive to your driving. Put down those cell phones and just limit those distractions. You just never know what you’re going to face when you come around these corners, up these hills,” the spokesperson said. When you’ve been hurt by someone who was driving while distracted, you probably have lots of questions, not the least of which is… … how do I prove the other driver was distracted? There are actually several types of very helpful evidence that your experienced attorney can put to use in your favor in a distracted driving case. One is the police report from your accident. If the officer included within the report his/her suspicions that the at-fault driver was using a cell phone at the time of the wreck, that could strengthen your case. Additionally, you may be able to obtain records from the driver’s cell service provider, where text message and phone call logs may demonstrate that the driver was texting or on the phone at the time of the crash. Furthermore, a complete investigation by your legal team may unearth video recordings of the crash or eyewitnesses, either of which might have valuable evidence that the other driver was using his/her phone and was distracted in the moments before the collision. Regardless of whether the driver who hit you was distracted, speeding, or negligent in some other way, the injuries you’ve suffered are very real and will have a major impact on your life. A skilled attorney can help you make sure you get everything you should from your legal case. The knowledgeable car accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos have many years of experience helping injured people and are here to be that kind of powerful and effective advocate for you. To set up a free consultation with one of our helpful attorneys, contact us at 650-345-8484 or through our website.