{"id":1334,"date":"2026-10-22T03:55:55","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T03:55:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/34-138-224-95.nip.io\/car-accident-lawyer\/distracted-driving-car-accident-lawyer-california\/"},"modified":"2026-10-24T08:15:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-24T08:15:14","slug":"distracted-driving-car-accident-lawyer-california","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/colvinaccidentlawyers.com\/resources\/car-accident-lawyer\/distracted-driving-car-accident-lawyer-california\/","title":{"rendered":"Bakersfield Distracted Driving Car Accident Attorney"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Bakersfield | Car Accidents<\/p>

Hurt by a Distracted Driver? Colvin Accident Lawyers Can Help You Understand Your Options.<\/h1>

We represent people and families injured in car crashes caused by distracted drivers in Bakersfield, Kern County, and the surrounding communities. Start with a free, confidential consultation with no obligation to continue.<\/p>

Get a Free Case Consultation<\/a><\/div>
Get a Free Case Consultation<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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What Counts as Distracted Driving<\/h2>\n

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Phone use<\/h3>

Texting, reading messages, scrolling, or video calls while the car is moving can pull a driver's attention away from the road.<\/p><\/div>

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Eyes off the road<\/h3>

Even a few seconds of looking at a screen or a device can mean a vehicle travels the length of a football field at highway speed without the driver watching the traffic ahead.<\/p><\/div>

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Eating, grooming, or adjusting controls<\/h3>

Reaching for food, drinks, makeup, or navigation settings takes a driver's hands and attention away from driving.<\/p><\/div>

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Work-related multitasking<\/h3>

Driving while handling work calls, dispatch messages, or job tasks can lead to crashes on Kern County roads and highways.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

By Donald Norman Colvin \u00b7 Published October 21, 2026<\/p>\n\n

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A driver who looks at a phone for a few seconds can cause a serious crash. If a distracted driver hurt you or someone you love, you may have a claim. This guide explains California’s distracted driving rules, what a claim can cover, and what happens after you contact Colvin Accident Lawyers. It’s written for anyone searching for a Bakersfield distracted driving car accident attorney.<\/p>\n

What Counts as Distracted Driving Under California Law<\/h2>\n

Distracted driving is any activity that pulls a driver’s eyes, hands, or mind off the road. Phone use is the most common example. The California Office of Traffic Safety<\/a> publishes distracted-driving materials for the state.<\/p>\n

California’s main phone rule is in Cal. Veh. Code \u00a7 23123.5<\/a>. A person may not drive while holding and operating a handheld phone or other wireless device. Cal. Veh. Code \u00a7 23123.5<\/a> reads: “(a) A person shall not drive a motor vehicle while holding and operating a handheld wireless telephone or an electronic wireless communications device unless the wireless telephone or electronic wireless communications device is specifically designed and configured to allow voice-operated and hands-free operation, and it is used in that manner while driving.” The exception is a device made for hands-free, voice-operated use, used that way. Cal. Veh. Code \u00a7 23123.5<\/a> reads: “(a) A person shall not drive a motor vehicle while holding and operating a handheld wireless telephone or an electronic wireless communications device unless the wireless telephone or electronic wireless communications device is specifically designed and configured to allow voice-operated and hands-free operation, and it is used in that manner while driving.”<\/p>\n

A driver may touch the phone only in narrow cases. The phone must be mounted on the windshield, or on the dashboard or center console, without blocking the view of the road. The driver then uses one swipe or tap of a finger. Manufacturer-installed systems built into the vehicle are not covered.<\/p>\n

Texting on a handheld device falls under the same rule. Other distractions, like eating, grooming, or adjusting a screen, can still support a negligence claim. Under Cal. Civ. Code \u00a7 1714<\/a>, a person is responsible for an injury occasioned to another by a lack of ordinary care, except so far as the injured person has, willfully or by want of ordinary care, brought the injury upon himself or herself.<\/p>\n

This page serves injured drivers, passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and families of people killed in these crashes.<\/p>\n\n

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If another driver's phone use led to your injuries or a loved one's death, you may have a claim, so contact Colvin Accident Lawyers now. Talk it through with our team — the first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation.<\/p>

Get a free consultation<\/a><\/div>
Get a free consultation<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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What a Claim Can Cover<\/h2>\n

A claim seeks money for the losses a crash causes. Under Cal. Civ. Code \u00a7 3333<\/a>, damages compensate for all the detriment proximately caused by the wrong, even harm no one expected.<\/p>\n

Economic damages are objectively verifiable money losses. They include:<\/p>\n