A 22-year-old man was killed in a single-vehicle accident in Southampton, Virginia and it appears this tragic accident was the result of distracted driving. Eye witnesses reported to police that the driver was swerving and driving recklessly while using a handheld device.
Investigators ruled out speed or alcohol as contributing factors.
Accidents such as this should cause us all to stop, take a step back, and examine the on-going and ever present danger of distracted driving.
The statistics for distracted driving are daunting.
Teens and drivers in their early and mid twenties are particularly susceptible to distracted driving. Over a quarter (25 percent) of all teens have admitted to texting while driving, while 20 percent have admitted to multi-text conversations while driving.
The result? Well, 21 percent of fatal crashes involving young adults were due to distracted driving or use of a cell phone while driving.
The best way to end distracted driving is to educate those most at risk. Discussing stories such as these, and examining the potential hazards of distracted driving with your children and family members will help bring awareness to this dangerous habit.
Understanding the problem is the first towards changing the action.
We all must do our part to put an end to accidents such as this.
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Rick Shapiro has practiced personal injury law for over 30 years in Virginia, North Carolina, and throughout the Southeastern United States. He is a Board-Certified Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (ABA Accredited) and has litigated injury cases throughout the eastern United States, including wrongful death, trucking, faulty products, railroad, and medical negligence claims. During his three-decade career, Shapiro has won client appeals before the VA Supreme Court, VA Court of Appeals, NC Supreme Court, SC Supreme Court, WV Supreme Court, TN Supreme Court, and three times before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, underscoring Shapiro’s trial achievements. In addition, he and his law firm have won settlements/verdicts in excess of $100 million. His success in and out of the courtroom is a big reason why he was named 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” in railroad law in U.S. News & World Report's Best Lawyers publication (Norfolk, VA area), and he has been named a “Best Lawyer” and “Super Lawyer” by those peer-reviewed organizations for multiple years. Rick was also named a “Leader in the Law, Class of 2022” by Virginia Lawyers Weekly (total of 33 statewide honorees consisting of lawyers and judges across Virginia). And in September 2023, Rick was selected as a recipient of the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) 2023 President’s Award. Although many nominations were submitted from across the country, Rick was just one of eight attorneys chosen by the prestigious National Board which certifies civil trial attorneys across the U.S. Rick was also recently named to Virginia Lawyers Weekly 2024 Virginia’s Go To Lawyers Medical Malpractice. The attorneys awarded this honor are nominated by their colleagues and chosen by a panel from the publication.
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