New Jersey law enforcement agencies have noticed a disturbing increase in the number of serious accidents caused by distracted drivers, and motorists using their smartphones to read or post messages on social media platforms like Twitter or Facebook are often responsible. These companies have been criticized in certain quarters for failing to do enough to curb this type of behavior, and the company behind the popular messaging application Snapchat has been accused by some road safety advocates of actively encouraging it.
The controversy about Snapchat and its popular application centers on a controversial speed filter. One of the main reasons for Snapchat’s surging popularity is that it allows users to modify their photo or video posts by applying filters, and one of these enhancement tools adds a speed reading measured in miles per hour. Critics of the application say that Snapchat users are recklessly disregarding speed limits simply to impress their friends and followers.
One such case involved a 22-year-old Florida man who killed himself and four others in a high-speed crash. A video the man posted on Snapchat just minutes before the accident indicated that he was driving at speeds in excess of 115 mph. The fatal collision came a year after a Georgia man was left with serious brain injuries after his vehicle was struck by a sedan traveling at speeds of up to 113 mph driven by a 19-year-old woman who was also discovered to have been using the messaging application before crashing.
Personal injury attorneys often file car accident lawsuits on behalf of their injured clients against negligent drivers or their auto insurance companies, but other parties may also face litigation when their reckless actions cause harm. In order for this type of legal action to succeed, attorneys must establish that the injuries suffered were foreseeable and could have been prevented had reasonable precautions been taken.
