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Distracted Driving

Indiana Continues to Focus on Distracted Driving

Posted Apr 19, 2021 by Matt Boulton

Indiana Takes Aim at Distracted Driving

Distracted driving continues to be a leading cause of car accidents throughout Indiana, however, lawmakers and authorities have taken steps over the past year in an attempt to stamp out this major threat to driving safety:

  • Last year, Indiana enacted the “Hands-Free” Law, aimed at reducing distracted driving throughout the state.
  • This year, Governor Holcomb announced a new proclamation that declares April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month in the Hoosier state.
  • On April 8th, Indiana participated in a national enforcement program named Connect 2 Disconnect, which involved high-visibility patrols focused largely on spotting drivers who were holding a phone and/or otherwise engaged in distracted driving.

The message is clear: Indiana is amping up their efforts to address distracted driving.

In fact, Indiana’s Hands-Free Law is less than a year old but has already resulted in just under 3,000 citations and more than 7,000 warnings. (A fine of up to $500 is issued to those who violate the law.)

More recently, Indiana’s April 8th participation in the Connect 2 Disconnect program included 60 police agencies and resulted in 596 citations and 455 warnings.

Types of Distracted Driving

While Indiana’s Hands-Free Law is largely focused on the mere act of holding a mobile phone/device, there are a number of other actions that qualify as distracted and dangerous driving, such as:

  • Interacting with a vehicle’s dashboard display/stereo.
  • Eating or drinking while driving.
  • Personal grooming.
  • Talking/Engaging with passengers.

In short, anything that takes a driver’s eyes and focus off the road and away from the act of driving is considered a form of distracted driving and increases the risk of a car accident.

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How Quick Can a DIstracted Driving Collision Happen? Consider this: a car driving at 55 mph has traveled the length of a football field during the time a person takes a mere glance away from the road due to a distraction.

Absolutely nothing is worth a second’s glance away from the road given the potential cost of a serious car accident, especially when it comes to Hoosier lives.

National Distracted Driving Statistics

The concern for authorities across the United State is the increase in incidents involving crashes caused by distracted driving.

According to 2019 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 3,142 people in the U.S. were fatally injured as a result of an accident from distracted driving. This number represented a 10% increase from 2018.

About Boulton Law Group

Attorney Matt Boulton founded the Boulton Law Group for injured Hoosiers who place value on personal service and custom legal solutions.

In addition to his track record of winning, Matt has been recognized by peers and clients alike for his high ethical standing and maintaining an exclusive focus on Indiana personal law.

Cases that Matt helps his clients with include:

  • Car accidents
  • Semi-truck accidents
  • Motorcycle accidents
  • Dog bite injuries
  • Wrongful death lawsuits
  • Slip and fall accidents
  • Negligent security
  • Nursing home abuse

No matter the size of your potential case, or where you live in the state, if you or a loved one were involved in a distracted driving accident and have questions about your legal rights and/or next steps, Matt offers free, friendly legal advice.

We look forward to learning more about your story!

Matt Boulton

Author Matt Boulton

Attorney Matt Boulton is an award-winning personal injury attorney with more than 25 years of experience helping seriously injured people throughout Indiana. He designed his firm for the client who expects exceptional service and passionate, successful legal representation.

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