Traveling the highways and streets in and around Tulsa, Oklahoma can sometimes feel like a gamble, especially considering all the people who drive while using a smartphone.
Texting and driving in Oklahoma is now a huge contributor to many car accidents – some of them deadly. In 2013 alone, devices such as smart phones caused 14 fatal automobile crashes in Oklahoma and 602 accidents involving non-fatal injuries.
Texting and Driving in Oklahoma Laws
As of November 1, 2015, a new state law prohibits people from texting and driving in Oklahoma.
If a driver is caught, he can be pulled over since texting and driving will be a primary offense. A primary offense is a violation that gives a police officer a legally valid reason to stop a moving car.
That means that someone can be ticketed simply for texting and driving in Oklahoma – the officer will not have to prove the driver was speeding or committing another moving violation in order to prove he had the right to pull over the vehicle.
Additional Considerations
Under the new law, if a car is moving and the driver is texting or emailing from his phone, tablet, or other electronic device, he can be ticketed. The terms “texting” and “emailing” include reading texts or emails from your device.
However, a driver will not be ticketed if he is caught texting or emailing while stopped at a traffic light.
What if a driver is using the navigator or GPS on his cell phone? Is that a violation of Oklahoma traffic laws? Possibly, yes.
Under Oklahoma’s distracted driving law, which is already in existence, activity that affect one’s driving to the point that he poses a danger to others is behavior for which one can be ticketed.
The fact that a driver’s conduct was specifically illegal can make it easier to show that the driver neglected a duty to exercise care while behind the wheel. A citation for texting and driving to someone who caused an accident can provide substantial weight to arguments that the driver neglected their duty to exercise care.
Free Consultation: Tulsa Accident Injury Attorney
If you have been injured due to someone texting and driving in Oklahoma, please contact a qualified Tulsa personal injury attorney to discuss your options.
For a free, no-obligation consultation with the Tulsa Personal Injury Lawyer, call (918) 924-5528 or send your question using the e-mail form on this page.
