Pendergast Law Personal Injury Lawyers

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Pendergast Law Personal Injury Lawyers

Free Consultations  |  Phones Answered 24/7

Committed to helping you heal while we recover.

Join Our Hands on the Wheel Giveaway

On Behalf of | Apr 2, 2018 | Distracted Driving Accident, Firm News

By Pendergast Law on April 2, 2018

As a leading personal injury firm in Seattle, Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S., has spent the past 40 years assisting members of the community when they get hurt. Our legal team has witnessed the suffering, devastation, and loss of hope that can result from a careless or negligent act. And our goal is to work within our community not only to seek justice for those who have been injured, but to eliminate needless accidents.

Our Hands on the Wheel Giveaway offers you a FREE magnetic phone mount that clips onto your vehicle’s air vent and holds your phone. All you need to do is complete our submission form, and we will send you a phone mount as long as supplies last, because we want to see all hands on the wheel to keep our community safe!

Washington State Is Leading the Way

Washington was the first state to pass a texting ban a decade ago, and now, we are pioneering laws to eliminate distracted driving. These laws prohibit handheld phone use of any kind, including phone calls, reading messages, social media posting, and taking photos. Handheld devices are also prohibited when stopped at a red light or stop sign. In addition, there are secondary distractions, such as grooming or eating, which are also prohibited. These activities will get you an additional ticket if an officer pulls you over for some other offense.

You can request your FREE magnetic phone mount today to comply with this new law.

Why This Program Is Critical

Sadly, as personal injury lawyers, we see the results of distracted driving every day. There are many things that can steal a driver’s attention, ranging from a cell phone to a coffee cup or a meal being consumed on the run. But all of these distractions have the potential to end tragically for the driver, everyone else in the vehicle, and people on the surrounding roadways.

The numbers are steadily increasing. In 2014, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that 3,179 deaths in this country were caused by distracted drivers. Last year, in Washington alone, 156 deaths and 572 serious injury accidents occurred because of distracted drivers.

All of these could have been prevented if drivers simply focused on driving and let other tasks wait until they were not operating a 4,000-pound piece of equipment.

Quick Facts:

Think about some of the things that you do as you are driving your vehicle. Keep those numbers in mind and review the distance traveled in a single second at various speeds.

  • 15 mph – the average speed in a school zone crossing area…22 feet
  • 25 mph – speed limit in most posted school zones…37 feet
  • 35 mph – residential neighborhood speeds…51 feet
  • 65 mph – highway speed…95 feet

So if you look away from the road for only five seconds in a school zone driving the legal speed limit, you will travel over 185 feet. Likewise, if you look away from the road for seven seconds while driving the legal speed limit on the highway, you have covered a distance greater than two football fields.

Are you willing to face devastated parents and apologize to them for hitting their child simply because you needed to check your email? Every life deserves respect, and that means undivided attention when driving a vehicle.

We Are Here To Help

If you were the one injured in a car accident with a distracted driver, you are facing many challenges. But Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S., is here to assist you through the legal process to receive the compensation that you deserve. We know that money is not going to fix everything, but it will allow you to focus on healing and provide an easier path to returning to your normal life. Call today at 888-539-9211 for a free consultation.

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