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What You Should Know About Car Accidents Involving Hands-Free Devices

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There are currently 14 states that have laws in effect that prohibit the use of cellphones and other types of electronic devices while driving. These laws are in place to protect other drivers and to prevent accidents; however, accidents can still occur when people are using hands-free devices while driving. If you are in an accident with someone that was using a hands-free device, he or she may still be liable for the accident.

Types of hands-free devices

Cellphones are the most popular item people use while driving, and there are several ways to use cellphones without your hands. Some people simply turn on the speakers on their phones when they want to talk, while others use Bluetooth technology to accomplish this.

People can also use their cellphones while driving to find directions, respond to texts, or to locate a nearby gas station. While these tasks can be accomplished in a hands-free manner, completing them still requires the use of your brain.

Hands-free is not always risk-free

Because it still requires the use of your brain to use a device like this while driving, you may not be fully alert while you drive. This may weaken your senses or impair your judgment, and it could result in a car accident.

There have been numerous studies conducted to test whether hands-free laws really have an effect on the number of accidents that take place. While the results of these studies vary tremendously, it appears that states that have strict laws and that enforce these laws have seen a decline in accidents. Other studies show that these laws do not have any effects on the number of accidents that take place.

How this affects you

If you are involved in an accident that was caused by someone that was using a hand-held device or a hands-free device, you still have the legal right to sue the person. The difference is what state the accident took place in. If the state has really strict laws relating to this, you might be able to fight for more compensation than if it took place in a state without hands-free laws.

To learn more about your rights after a car accident, you may want to talk to a personal injury attorney from a firm like Tracy & Stilwell PC Attorneys At Law. Personal injury attorneys that specialize in car accidents can help you learn more about accidents involving electronics, and this may help you get a larger settlement if you win the case.