TAP TO CALL 401.467.2300
Tap for a Free Case Consultation 401.467.2300
  • Get a Free Case Consultation 401.467.2300
  • Get a Free Case Consultation 401.467.2300

Texting While Driving

Texting while driving includes composing, sending or reading a text message on a cell phone or similar electronic device while behind the wheel. It is the most dangerous form of distracted driving and the cause of many car accidents in Providence and throughout Rhode Island.

If you have been seriously injured or have lost a family member in a car accident attributed to texting while driving, the lawyers of Gemma Law Associates, Inc., can examine your case and determine the compensation you are due for your losses.

To arrange a free consultation, simply call or contact us online today.

Why Is Texting While Driving Dangerous?

Texting is one of many distractions drivers face. It’s dangerous because it interferes with several different functions that are needed to drive safely, including:

  • Manual (hands on steering wheel)
  • Visual (eyes on the road) and
  • Cognitive (paying attention to one’s speed, for instance, or to other motorists).

A driver who is texting takes his or her eyes off of the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. If you are going 55 mph, that time is equal to driving the length of a football field without looking, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says.

Unfortunately, too many drivers ignore the perils of texting. For instance, 25 percent of teens respond to a text message once or more every time they drive, according to a 2012 survey, while 20 percent of teens and 10 percent of parents admit to having extended, multi-message text conversations while driving.

In Rhode Island, texting while driving has been illegal since 2009. Still, in the first two-and-a-half years of the ban, law enforcement officials issued nearly 600 tickets and drivers paid more than $36,000 in fines.

At Gemma Law Associates, Inc., we believe that texting while driving is careless if not reckless conduct. When Rhode Island residents are injured because of a texting driver, we work hard to secure the compensation they deserve for their vehicle damage, medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and other losses.

Making a Case against a Texting Driver in Rhode Island

There are several ways to determine that a driver was texting at the time of an auto accident.

For example, the driver’s cell phone records will indicate the time a text was sent. Your attorney can acquire these records. When text messages were read and sent and the content of the texts can establish that the driver was texting at the time of impact.

Your lawyer can also investigate the crash itself. Evidence that the driver failed to brake on time to avoid the accident, or that the car crossed the centerline or ran off the road, may indicate the driver was not paying attention.

Statements from witnesses, including passengers in the texting driver’s car or those who received or sent a text could also establish that a driver in a car crash was texting while driving.

A proper texting accident investigation also examines third-party liability for an accident. If a texting driver was driving a car on the job, for instance, the driver’s employer might be liable for the driver’s actions – especially if a boss or co-worker originated the text. (In fact, a New Jersey court recently suggested that individuals who send texts to someone they know or should know is driving could be held liable for any accident caused by that driver’s texting.)

Our Rhode Island Car Accident Lawyers Can Handle Your Texting Accident Case

The car accident attorneys of Gemma Law Associates, Inc., have more than four decades of experience in helping crash victims and their families in Providence and across Rhode Island. We can put that experience to work for you if you or a loved one has been injured by a texting driver.

Call us today toll free or use our online form. We will provide a free and confidential evaluation of your case and advise you of your legal options.


Serving the Greater Providence metro area, including WarwickCranstonPawtucketNorth ProvidenceSouth KingstonCoventryCumberlandWoonsocket, and East Providence.

Gemma law is the best and helped and guided me threw everything … highly recommended thank you so much
ellen almgren
ellen almgren
2023-02-09
5 stars all the way. They did exactly what was expected. Good Job
Keith Ruggiero
Keith Ruggiero
2023-02-04
Very efficient and very good with communicating with me. I received updates about my case without having to call and request them. Very good law office! Very satisfied.
Bethania Herrera
Bethania Herrera
2023-01-19
Mark Gemma has been absolutely amazing. He was helpful and answered all concerns and questions I’ve had. Him and his team are beyond incredible, supportive, and sweet. I would like to thank them all for everything they’ve done.
Samantha Argus
Samantha Argus
2023-01-19
very professional and honest, what I liked the most is whenever you call the lawyer returns your call with every concern I had. It was my first time and I would not hesitate to trust them again.
Diana Palacio
Diana Palacio
2023-01-17
This team is extremely helpful and kind. Mark Gemma was a great help in guiding me through this whole process and was a huge help. I would recommend this team to anyone seeking legal counsel
Zachary Dustin
Zachary Dustin
2023-01-16
I am so happy with the turnout of my case. Both Sarah and Peter kept me up to date on everything and worked very hard on my case. The whole staff is friendly and diligent with their work. 100% recommend!
Chelsie Abatiello
Chelsie Abatiello
2022-12-28
Managed to get my money before Christmas...in just days after settling! Great communication and always helped with my needs, and always gave good advice. Would definitely recommend.
Trini Luckey
Trini Luckey
2022-12-23
Always professional and always checking in on their clients. Excellent atmosphere.
Susan Hallam
Susan Hallam
2022-12-17
After spending 8 hours in a hospital overnight to get stitches in my lip because of a drunk driver’s negligent decision to get behind the wheel, the last thing I wanted to do was think about it all. I sent an email to Gemma Law, and Mark Gemma quickly called me back with an empathetic approach to listening to my story and helping me figure out the next steps. When he told me I wouldn’t have to have any contact with the insurance companies, I was HOOKED! When he pointed out how unfortunate it was I might have to miss out on a lip modeling career from a potential scar from the stitches, I was SOLD! And when I finally received my settlement check after letting him do all the leg work while I just focused on recovering, I was and am eternally GRATEFUL! Mark Gemma helped me turn a near death experience into a new start in life and I highly recommend him to anybody needing a personal injury lawyer.
Angie Sherman
Angie Sherman
2022-12-07
Blog

Health Study Links Chemical Hair Products to Higher Uterine Cancer Risk

January 3, 2023

A recent National Institutes of Health study linking frequent use of chemical hair straighteners to increased risk of developing uterine cancer also found that Black women may be more affected...

Gemma Law Supports Elmwood Little League: 21 Years of Sponsorship

May 20, 2022

Gemma Law Associates, Inc. will back you up in sports and with your personal injury case. Alfred Gemma began his personal injury law firm, Gemma Law Associates, Inc., in Providence,...

National Ladder Safety Month

March 25, 2022

March is National Ladder Safety Month. According to the American Ladder Institute, more than 100 people die, and thousands of others suffer disabling injuries in ladder-related accidents each year. So,...

Women’s History Month: Remembering Ruth Bader Ginsburg

March 17, 2022

Mark Gemma and Ruth Bader Ginsburg having a conversation over dessert at Roger Williams School of Law. This March, we celebrate Women’s History Month and remember the incredible women who...

Gemma Law Associates, Inc. Earns 2022 Best Law Firm Ranking

November 18, 2021

We are proud to announce that Gemma Law Associates, Inc. has been recognized as a Best Law Firm for 2022 by U.S. News & World Report – Best Lawyers®.  Law...

Motorcycle Safety Month: Towards Safer Roads in Rhode Island

May 16, 2023

This May, as we observe Motorcycle Safety Month, Gemma Law Associates is championing the cause of safer roads in Rhode Island. Motorcycle safety is a pressing issue that requires the...

OSHA National Safety Stand-Down: A Crucial Step Towards a Safer Workplace

May 3, 2023

At Gemma Law Associates, your trusted personal injury law firm in Providence, Rhode Island, we have an intimate understanding of the importance of workplace safety. Our experienced team has seen...