It’s Friday evening and you’re finally heading home for the weekend after one of the busiest work weeks you’ve had all year. All you want to do is get home and relax, but you’re stuck in traffic. You get an important text from a client you’ve been waiting to hear from and you glance down at your phone to see what it says even though you know you shouldn’t. All of a sudden, boom, you crash into the car in front of you and you find yourself responsible for a texting and driving accident. What do you do?
Like any car accident, your first calls should be to the police and your insurance. After that, you wonder what sort of fines, penalties, and consequences you’ll be looking at. The consequences will depend on the severity of the accident and whether or not this is your first offense. Depending on the state, monetary fines can range from $20-$500, as well as whether or not the accident is seen as a criminal misdemeanor. If the accident resulted in bodily injury to another driver, or it is a repeated offense, jail or prison time could be imposed. Since many of these charges vary due to each state, it is important to stay updated on the laws in your area and the consequences of a texting and driving accident.
In addition to the charges and fees, there are a number of other consequences you could be facing as well. You could get points taken off your driving record, your driving privileges suspended or revoked, required to take mandatory road safety classes, or even have your vehicle impounded. Even if it was a genuine accident and your first offense, being a driving of a texting and driving accident could have extreme repercussions.
That is why it is important to reach out to a criminal defense attorney in the case of a severe texting and driving accident. It’s important to keep yourself informed of the charges and fees you could be facing. But most importantly, avoid texting and driving – it can wait!
