Is Watching Social Media Videos While Driving Illegal?

 Posted on October 24, 2024 in Car Accident

If there are loopholes in laws, people are sure to find them. Colorado laws place various restrictions on cell phone use while driving, with drivers under 18 prohibited from using phones for any reason. These laws aim to prevent distracted driving, which increases the risk of causing motor vehicle collisions.

Some drivers attempt to work around these laws, placing their phones in holders and watching social media videos and clips while driving. Several states have introduced laws that specifically ban drivers from watching videos. If a driver who was distracted by watching videos caused an accident that injured you, you deserve compensation. A skilled lawyer from Hoggatt Law Office, P.C. can help get the evidence you need to support your claim and pursue the maximum available payout.

Do Colorado Laws Specifically Ban Watching Videos While Driving?

Although Colorado laws govern hands-on cell phone use while driving, the statutes do not address using voice activation to access videos. Teens and young drivers are the most likely groups to skirt the state’s enacted laws. Combined with their lack of experience, the results can be deadly.

How Does Distracted Driving Cause Car Accidents?

Driving distractions can include anything that takes a driver’s eyes from the road, hands from the steering wheel, and mind from the act of driving. Listening to music, the audible part of videos, and podcasts through earbuds is also a distraction. Watching videos, if activated through voice commands, meets three of the four criteria. Manual access adds the fourth category.

According to statistical data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 94 percent of motor vehicle collisions are caused by driver errors. Of that total, 41 percent of human errors result from inattention, inadequate surveillance, and distractions.

To avoid collisions, drivers must often make split-second decisions to brake hard, alter course, or make other evasive maneuvers. Distracted drivers typically have delayed reactions to emerging traffic hazards.

Suppose a car is traveling at 65 mph. It requires 316 feet to come to a complete stop from the moment brakes are applied. Commercial trucks like tractor-trailers need 525 feet. When drivers have delayed reactions, their vehicles still require the same distance to stop. Unfortunately, a delay of only one second can cause a collision.

How Can I Prove the Driver Who Hit Me Was Watching a Video?

To obtain this kind of evidence, you need to conduct an investigation. Cell phone data and records may serve as proof, but not everyone can access them. Your attorney from Hoggatt Law Office, P.C. can investigate your crash, establish liability, gather crucial evidence, and help you get as much compensation as you deserve.

Call Our Knowledgeable Fort Collins, CO Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer

If a distracted driver injures you, he should be held accountable for his negligence. You can trust Hoggatt Law Office, P.C. to handle your claim effectively, always protecting your best interests. Call us at 970-225-2190 now for your free consultation with our determined Larimer County, CO motor vehicle collision attorney.