As a Kansas City-based injury lawyer who concentrates his law practice on representing people who have been seriously injured or killed in motor vehicle accidents, I have spent 30 years helping clients receive the maximum benefits with their insurance claims that arise from car,…
Two teenagers lost their lives and two more suffered serious injuries in June of 2016 after an accident occurred on 291 Highway in Excelsior Springs, MO. However, what is shocking about this accident is that the vehicle was stopped by officers shortly before the crash occurred. (more…)
This article discusses the primary difference between a typical car accident case and a car accident caused by distracted driving. Before discussing the difference, it is helpful to define what I mean by “distracted driving”. Generally speaking, distracted driving is engaging in any activity not necessary for the operation of the motor vehicle that causes a driver to take their eyes off the road for an extended moment of time (at least 2 seconds). (more…)
As a lawyer who has concentrated in representing people injured in motor vehicle accidents for over 27 years, the nature of the crash cases I handle has changed dramatically over the last 8 years. Starting in 2009, I have seen a steady increase in serious injuries caused by distracted drivers, specifically drivers who are using their cell phones to talk, text, or other functions involving the use of the small phone keyboard. (more…)
My law practice, which is concentrated in handling motor vehicle accident cases, has changed dramatically over the last 8 years. Since 2009, I have a steady increase in the number of collisions caused by drivers who I suspect were using a cell phone while driving. However, because cell phone use behind the wheel is rarely admitted by drivers who cause crashes, it is important to identify independent evidence in an investigation that can lead to the conclusion that the driver at fault was engaged in manipulating a cell phone just before the crash. (more…)
In October 2016 the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety published “Missouri’s Blueprint – A Partnership Toward Zero Deaths”. While this document addressed quite a few traffic safety priorities, a plan was developed for curbing distracted driving. The plan was well-received as many traffic safety experts believe that cell phone use behind the wheel is playing a big factor in the increase of roadway fatalities in Missouri. (more…)
Distracted driving is a problem for all drivers, including those who drive as part of their work. A program that has been specifically created for this purpose is the Drive by Example Corporate Protection Program. This is a driving safety initiative that has been created to help corporations and businesses reduce on-the-job motor vehicle accidents. (more…)
There are many things that drivers do behind the wheel that end up taking their eyes and attention off the roadway. Some of these require a momentary glance away, while other tasks force a driver to divert their eyes and attention for up to 5 seconds. Whatever the case, driver distraction is now becoming epidemic, mostly due to the proliferation of the cell phone. As a result, all of us are encountering what I call a “new universe of roadway risk” giving rise to a greater probability of serious injury and death. (more…)
If your business relies on vehicles that are driven by your employees, then distracted driving presents a serious threat to your people, as well as your business. Anytime a driver is manipulating a cell phone to dial, text, talk, access email or other data, navigate, or access the internet represents at least a 4 times greater chance of a collision and a dramatic increase in the probability of a disabling injury or fatality. (more…)
Attorney Doug Horn comments on why he thinks distracted driving represents a new universe of risk for motorists in Missouri, Kansas, and across the U.S. (more…)