A tragedy unfolded in the last few weeks when an Enfield High School freshman was killed by a driver who was not paying attention at the time of the crash. The Connecticut auto accident happened when the young woman, who’s name has not been released, was walking with her 12-year old cousin on Rt. 140 in East Windsor and was struck by a pick-up truck. After being rushed to the hospital she was pronounced dead shortly.
State police responded to the scene of the accident where they discovered that the driver had been reported via a 911 call earlier in the day for erratic driving both on the Interstate as well as on Rt. 140. Witnesses reported that the driver had been using his cellphone at the time of the accident and was clearly not paying attention to the road in front of him.
The sad facts of this incident are a reminder to us all that driving while distracted can have devastating results. This young girl has lost her life and in all likelihood the driver of the vehicle will be in jail for a long portion of his young life too. Distracted driving is one of the most dangerous things you can do when behind the wheel of a vehicle.
There are some things you can do to keep yourself from even being tempted to check your phone while you’re driving. Taking these steps will not only keep you safe, but will also keep your passengers and others who you are sharing the road with safe as well.
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Stow your phone. This is the best thing you can do to prevent temptation. If your phone is safely secured in your glove box or the middle console so you do not see the screen turn on every time you get a new notification it will be out of sight out of mind.
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Turn the volume down all the way and shut off vibrations. If your phone is making noise it will be far more distracting to you as you drive then if you completely silence it. A silenced phone is a lot easier to ignore then one that is constantly dinging or buzzing.
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Turn your phone off. Don’t think you can resist your phone being on, even if it is stowed and silenced? Turn it all the way off and you will be guaranteed to not be distracted while you’re driving.
If you absolutely must do something on your phone while you are driving you should pull over to the side of the road, turn your phone on, and then make the call or send the text that can’t wait. Make sure that when you are pulled over you are far enough off the road so that you are not in the flow of traffic. Using your phone when you are at a complete stop and not driving is the best way to avoid a Connecticut auto accident.
In the event that you experience a terrible tragedy like the one in East Windsor you may need to speak with an experienced attorney who can review your case. Contact our office and one of our attorneys will work with you to protect your long-term interests.
