Is There a Way to Tell Whether the Other Driver Was Texting in Tampa?

If you believe that the driver who caused your crash was texting, you might just be right. But how do you confirm your suspicions? Perhaps you noticed the driver veering out of their lane moments before, and you’re convinced they were texting behind the wheel. What kind of evidence can confirm distracted driving? Can a Tampa car accident lawyer help you gather this evidence?

Police Investigation Methods Have Evolved to Handle Texting and Driving 

Decades have passed since the emergence of the first smartphones, and authorities across the country are well aware of how dangerous they can be on the road. Florida is no exception, and law enforcement agencies in the Tampa Bay Area have developed sophisticated methods to investigate potential distracted driving.

The first method is the simplest: The “mark one eyeball.” If a police officer sees a driver texting behind the wheel, they can pull the suspect over and issue a traffic ticket. The second method involves carefully analyzing traffic camera footage. By searching for the characteristic “blue glow” inside a vehicle, police can determine whether a driver was using their phone. However, this method is often much more effective at night.

Another option is to contact the telecommunications provider associated with the suspect’s device. These cellphone companies are often more than happy to hand over any records that might be useful to police investigations. By analyzing these records, police investigators can determine whether the suspect was sending texts at the precise time of the accident.

Finally, investigators could physically take the suspect’s phone and search through it to determine past activity logs. However, this almost always requires investigators to obtain search warrants first. This isn’t always easy, especially if there is reason to doubt whether the driver did anything wrong. If the driver caused a major accident involving serious injury or death, a judge may be more likely to issue the search warrant.

You Can Also Request Relevant Information During a Personal Injury Lawsuit

 Keep in mind that outside of a criminal investigation, you also have the right to request access to relevant information during the “discovery” phase of a personal injury lawsuit. As long as the data in question is relevant to the lawsuit, the defendant may have no choice but to provide it. This could include cell phone data that helps determine whether the defendant was texting moments before the crash. Sometimes, the easiest way to gain access to the data is through discovery.

Can a Tampa Car Accident Lawyer Help Me?

A Tampa car accident lawyer may be able to help you gather the evidence you need to confirm distracted driving. If the other driver was texting before your crash, a personal injury lawsuit can hold them accountable. New investigative techniques allow authorities to determine exactly what someone was doing on their phone moments before a collision. Contact Anderson & Anderson today to learn more.

Source: 

lithia.com/research/family-and-car-safety/how-police-know-you-are-texting.htm