On Monday, August 3, 2015, a teenager was killed in Gerorgetown Township, Michigan, in a multi-vehicle crash due to a driver being distracted by his GPS system and a sandwich he was eating at the time. According to CBS Detroit, the Ottawa County Sheriff's office says the victim of the auto accident was a 13-year-old boy named David Talsma from Hudsonville, Michigan.
The victim was the passenger in a Totyota van driven by a 16-year-old when the motor vehicle was struck by a Chevrolet pickup truck on I-196 in Gerorgetown Township. The driver of the pickup truck was a 40-year-old man from Crown Point, Indiana. He told the police that he was eating a sandwich and looking at his GPS device at the time of the accident. He admitted to being distracted and said he didn't realize that traffic was slowing down for a construction zone. In addition to the Toyota van and the Chevy pickup truck, three more vehicles were involved in the car crash. Although five vehicles being involved in the accident, the 13-year-old was the only one killed. Several passengers suffered injuries.
Distracted driving leads to motor vehicles accidents around the world each day, especially within the state of Michigan. Distracted driving consists of texting and driving as well as using your GPS device and eating while driving, both of which we saw in this car crash. Anything that causes the driver to take their eyes of of the road is considered distracted driving. According to the Official US Government Website For Distracted Driving, in 2013, 3,154 people were killed in motor vehicle accidents involving distracted drivers, and in addition to this, 424,000 people were injured.
If you have been injured in a car or motorcycle accident as a result of distracted driving, contact a lawyer at The Michigan Law Firm, PLLC. Our accident attorneys are experienced in handling all types of car and motorcycle crashes. Call 844.4MI.FIRM for a free consultation today.