Beverley High School Students Raise Awareness About Texting and Driving
Two ambitious high school students named Luke Samperi and Callie Donovan have partnered with the Triad Driving School to help raise awareness for one of their generation’s most troubling behaviors: texting while driving. According to Samperi, the impetus of this awareness campaign came from so many of their peers texting and driving. Through their partnership with Triad Driving School, the duo was able to get 150 students to participate in a high-tech simulation approved by the school. The simulation involved special video goggles that display a simulated road and an installed car. The teens would text and try to operate a car as they normally would. As you may imagine, the students who received and read their text messages had a much higher rate of crashes.
Distracted Driving in Tennessee
Unfortunately, in the age of smart phones and social media, distracted driving is all too common across all age groups. While cell phones come to most people’s minds, distracted driving also includes:
- eating or drinking;
- reading an email;
- getting lost in a route;
- putting on makeup;
- shaving;
- taking on a cell phone; and/or
- playing with the radio.
Under Tennessee Code Annotated § 55-8-136, all drivers have the legal responsibility to exercise due care while on the road. This means they must look out for dangers on the road, for other vehicles, and to use reasonable care to avoid an accident. This is a responsibility that stays the entire time one is behind the road, regardless of road signs or conditions. Tennessee Code Annotated § 55-50-31 specifically makes it illegally to talk on a cell phone while driving in emergencies. Moreover, the state of Tennessee made it illegal to text and drive back in 2009. Drivers who cause an accident because they were distracted may be liable civilly for negligence per se, which means an act was negligent because it violates a law.
Nashville Distracted Driving Lawyers
At Calhoun Law, PLC, we understand that nothing is more frustrating than losing a loved one to an accident that could have been easily prevented. It is important to immediately consult with a reputable lawyer to investigate your case, identify all responsible parties, and aggressively pursue the compensation you deserve. With distracted driving, you may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, long-term care needs, and any other economic losses sustained. If you have been injured in a car, truck, or motorcycle accident or injured by a distracted and/or negligent, contact us today in Nashville for a free and confidential consultation.
