{"id":451,"date":"2022-03-11T13:24:44","date_gmt":"2022-03-11T21:24:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/?p=451"},"modified":"2022-11-08T08:03:23","modified_gmt":"2022-11-08T16:03:23","slug":"the-ultimate-guide-to-distracted-driving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/the-ultimate-guide-to-distracted-driving\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Guide to Distracted Driving"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Distracted-Driving-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-452\" width=\"257\" height=\"171\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Distracted-Driving-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Distracted-Driving-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Distracted-Driving.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 257px) 100vw, 257px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Distracted driving has become a serious issue across the\nUnited States. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhtsa.gov\/campaign\/distracted-driving\">NHTSA<\/a>\nreports that 26,000 lives were lost from distracted drivers between 2012 and\n2019 alone. In the interest of protecting yourself and everyone else on the\nroad, we\u2019ve created this guide to avoid distracted driving complications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Consequences of Distracted Driving<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The most obvious consequence of distracted driving is the\ncostliest one: a life. Over 3,000 individuals lost their lives in the year 2019\nas a direct result of distracted driving accidents. 4 out of every 5 accidents resulted\nin at least some type of personal injury. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Distracted driving alone (without an accident) in the state\nof Maryland usually results in fines of up to $160 dollars as well as a maximum\nof three points added to the offending driver\u2019s record. Naturally, those\nconsequences ramp up in the event that a serious injury takes place. According\nto <a href=\"https:\/\/mva.maryland.gov\/Documents\/FY19_Distracted_ProgramAreaBriefFINAL.pdf\">Jake\u2019s\nLaw<\/a>, a driver that causes serious injury or death while talking on a\nhandheld cell phone or texting may receive a prison sentence of up to three\nyears and a fine up to $5,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common Causes of Distracted Driving Incidents<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Below, we outline the most common causes of distracted\ndriving, as well as a few tips to make sure you don\u2019t find yourself in a\ndifficult legal situation by violating one of these guidelines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Talking\/ texting on your cellphone. <\/strong>Need\nto send an urgent text? Always pull over! The time \u201cwasted\u201d is worth it\ncompared to the potential risks. <\/li><li><strong>Eating\nor drinking. <\/strong>It may be tempting to try to eat a meal on the go, but you\nreally should have two hands on the wheel and both eyes on the road at all\ntimes. <\/li><li><strong>Using\na navigation system. <\/strong>Using navigation is part of driving in unfamiliar\nterritories. To ensure your safety, be sure to set your destination before\nhitting the road. <\/li><li><strong>Talking\nto passengers. <\/strong>Be sure that your conversations with others in the car are\nnot requiring you to take your eyes or attention off the road. <\/li><li><strong>Shifting\ncargo. <\/strong>Sometimes a sharp turn can cause groceries or luggage to shift in\nour cars. If you need to make an adjustment to your cargo, don\u2019t do it while\nthe car is in motion!<\/li><li><strong>Adjusting\nmusic. <\/strong>As is the case with navigation, make sure you set up your music <em>before\n<\/em>the car is in motion. <\/li><li><strong>Grooming.\n<\/strong>It\u2019s much better to be a few minutes late than risk an accident by putting\nthe final touches on the day\u2019s look. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">We Can Help You Avoid Severe Distracted Driving Consequences<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are facts about each specific case that can\nsignificantly reduce penalties if an experienced attorney who understands this\narea of law presents the case. The Law Office of Elizabeth A. Lawrence offers\nhigh-quality legal representation, personal attention, and professionalism to\nhelp defend the harsh penalties of DWIs, DUIs, and other serious traffic\noffenses in Maryland and District of Columbia. Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/contact-us.php\">here<\/a> or call (410) 986-0088 to consult with an\nexperienced attorney today. Skype, Zoom and Facetime consultations are available\nas well.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Distracted driving can lead to major personal and legal consequences. Avoid a costly incident with our distracted driving guide. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/451"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=451"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/451\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":566,"href":"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/451\/revisions\/566"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=451"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=451"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=451"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}