Texting and Driving Accident in Des Moines

Hit by a Distracted Driver? Get Aggressive Legal Counsel!

Distracted driving is a leading factor in motor vehicle accident injury and death in Iowa and throughout the United States. Drivers who text while driving are breaking the law ¾ and causing needless pain and death.

With more than 40 years of combined experience serving clients injured by the negligence of others, the personal injury attorneys at Hope Law Firm, PLC deliver determined, decisive representation when you are injured in a car or truck accident by a driver violating texting while driving laws in Iowa. 

Texting and Driving Laws in Iowa

In 2010, Iowa became the 21^st state to ban texting while driving. These are the laws in Iowa:

• For teen drivers, sending or receiving a text is a primary offense, meaning law enforcement has the authority to initiate a traffic stop if they observe a young driver texting.
• For adults, texting while driving is a secondary offense, giving law enforcement the opportunity to ticket a driver only if the driver is stopped for another offense.
• A texting ticket is $30, with additional fees and penalties for causing accident or injury.

Although texting while driving is a primary offense in 35 states, Iowa is one of three states that designate it a secondary offense. Without legal ability to stop drivers they observe texting, law enforcement has difficulty slowing damage and injury caused by texting.

When an accident happens, and you are hurt by a driver distracted by texting, our law firm can help.

How We Can Help if You Are Injured

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), texting while driving increases the risk of an accident by 23 percent compared to driving without distraction. If you are injured by any negligent driver, thorough investigation by our firm helps get the facts straight. We look for the following:

• Do you suspect the driver who injured you was texting? Did he or she make an admission after the accident to you or witnesses at the scene?
• Does law enforcement believe texting was a factor in the accident? Are their findings reflected on the accident report?
• If the negligent driver does not admit to texting while driving, cell phone records can be requested after a personal injury lawsuit is filed. Even if the driver deleted the text, a history of that text is retained in cell phone records.

Driving distracted has the same potential result as driving impaired — painful and deadly injury. If you are hurt in a motor vehicle accident caused by texting or another form of distraction, we pursue justice and full compensation on your behalf.