Simple acts such as a sneeze while driving can distract a driver and cause a serious accident.
Woman’s Sneeze Causes Her to Crash Into Oncoming Traffic
According to a KSAT News report, a woman told police that sneezing caused her to swerve into oncoming traffic, causing an accident on the North Side.
Police reported the woman was headed north when a sneezing fit caused her to drift slightly into the southbound lane of oncoming traffic. A tow truck swerved to miss her but ended up in a full frontal collision. The tow truck was transporting two vehicles at the time. All four vehicles were totaled, but the two drivers were reportedly not injured. But, the tow truck driver was transported to the hospital for unknown reasons.
Did You Know?
A 2015 study by a flu medicine company found that 2 million drivers caused an accident because of sneezing at the wheel.
Sneezing While Driving Accident in San Antonio
About one-third of Americans in 2015 said driving was the worst time to sneeze. It can be a distracting event and can even cause you to:
- Close your eyes, though briefly,
- Jerk the wheel,
- Increase your speed.
All these side effects of sneezing can cause serious accidents, as in the above case. Oftentimes, a sneeze is a random and unpredictable event. In these cases, the driver is not necessarily absolved from responsibility for the accident, but it can be difficult to prove their responsibility.
Compensation for Injuries in Sneezing While Driving Accident
In Texas, the law allows for sudden emergencies while driving so that drivers are not held responsible for unavoidable accidents. If an accident wasn’t caused by negligence, the unavoidable accident defense could be used to reduce the driver’s liability.
If a driver is not found to be negligent, then they won’t be required to pay damages for an accident. In this case, if you were injured, you would seek compensation from your PIP insurance. Our attorneys can help you file your insurance claim.
When a Sneezing Driver Is Responsible for an Accident
A sneeze may be a sudden emergency, but that doesn’t mean that an accident caused by a sneeze is not preventable. For example, if the driver was sick with a cold at the time of the crash, it is reasonable to assume they were at risk of sneezing behind the wheel. Or, if the driver was speeding, following too closely, or otherwise driving recklessly at the time of the accident, the sneeze doesn’t absolve them of their responsibility to other drivers.
In order for the driver to prove the unavoidable accident defense, they need sufficient evidence that there was no negligent behavior involved in the accident.
Do I Need an Attorney If I Was Hurt in an Accident With a Sneezing Driver?
If the driver’s insurance is denying your injury claim because they claim the insured isn’t at fault due to an unavoidable accident, contact Carabin Shaw Personal Injury Attorneys. Our team will use our extensive resources to investigate and make sure that you aren’t being unjustly denied compensation that is legally owed to you.
Contact Carabin Shaw Personal Injury Attorneys
Don’t let your claim be unjustly denied without learning ALL the facts. Contact Carabin Shaw Personal Injury Attorneys today at 800-862-1260 or use the live chat at the bottom right of your screen for a free consultation on your case. We have thirty years of experience representing injured people against other parties who claim not to be at fault. We put our clients first because we care. Contact us today. We look forward to serving you.