South Georgia Woman Injured in Serious Accident Caused by Distracted Driver

A South Georgia woman is recovering after a serious car accident pinned her trapped inside her vehicle. Cindy Willis, of Thomasville, was struck head-on by a wrong-way driver on her way to work in February 2023, causing her vehicle to flip over. She was then pinned inside the vehicle for over an hour as EMS crews worked to free her. Willis needed emergency surgery for a fracture the night she was admitted to the hospital. She says that the pain and loss of independence due to the accident have been a challenge and that she is still haunted by the image of the vehicle approaching her. Georgia State Patrol subsequently ruled that distracted driving was the cause of the crash. The driver responsible for the accident was issued a citation and has been named in a lawsuit. 

If you have suffered an injury in an accident due to distracted driving, a Tifton car accident attorney can help you recover. 

Distracted Driving is Deadly Common

Distracted driving is one of the most common causes of motor vehicle accidents. While distracted driving has been a problem for as long as cars have existed, the ubiquity of smartphones may be exacerbating it. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 3,000 people per year die in crashes involving distracted drivers. In 2019, over 400,000 drivers suffered injuries in such crashes. Some age groups are at higher risk of distracted driving-related accidents, particularly young adults and teen drivers. 

Why Is Distracted Driving So Dangerous? 

Anything that takes a driver’s eyes off the road increases the risk of accidents. There are three main types of distracted driving: 

• Visual: Taking one’s eyes off the road
• Manual: Taking one’s hands off the wheel
• Cognitive: Taking one’s mind off the task of driving 

Some actions involve more than one type of distracted driving. Texting, for example, involves all three — the driver’s eyes are on the phone, at least one of the driver’s hands is off the wheel, and the driver’s mind is focused on the contents of the text. The longer the distraction goes on, the greater the chance for an accident; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that, at 55 miles per hour, sending or reading a text is the equivalent of driving the length of a football field with one’s eyes closed. 

Liability for Distracted Driving 

Drivers who cause injuries by driving distracted may be held liable under a theory of negligence. Generally, all drivers owe all other drivers the duty to operate their vehicles in a safe manner and to comply with all rules of the road. If a driver breaches that duty — say, by taking their eyes off the road to read or send a text — and the breach causes an accident, the driver may be legally liable for any injuries to third parties that occur. 

Hold Distracted Drivers Accountable With Help From a Tifton Car Accident Attorney

If you have been injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver, your best chance for recovery is with help from a Tifton car accident attorney. For more information, please contact the Hudson Injury Firm by calling 229-396-5848 or using our online form.