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With the ability to switch songs, view your directions, control temperature etc… without ever having to reach for your phone. Many of these functions have now become one screen that can be found on most new vehicles.
So, isn’t that great? Well yes, but if you’re reaching for that screen to find your way through different menus then it can become a distraction. This raises the question of who is at fault when a vehicle’s screen is involved in an accident.
What you’ll learn:
- Why Built-In Screens Can Distract Drivers
- When a Screen Glance Becomes Negligence
- What Texas Law Says
- Can the Automaker Share Responsibility?
- Which Evidence Matters After a Crash?
- Safer Ways to Use a Connected Dashboard
Why Built-In Screens Can Distract Drivers
While your car’s screen is attached to your vehicle, you still have to interact with it to perform its functions. Reading a dashboard map, tapping its controls and working through its menus can each distract a driver.
There are 3 types of distractions that can occur while driving: Visual, Manual and Cognitive. As you can see, using your car’s screen can cause all 3 forms of distraction.
Let’s say you’re driving and need to turn your AC on, you look at your screen and see that you have to go to a different menu to turn it on. You will have to look down, tap on the screen, and see if your AC is turned on. All of this can happen while you are moving down the road.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,208 people were killed in accidents that involved a distracted driver in 2024. That figure covers crashes involving different kinds of driver distraction. It is not a count of deaths caused by infotainment screens alone.
When a Screen Glance Becomes Negligence
Just because someone is using their vehicle’s screen doesn’t mean they are being negligent. It depends on what they are doing with the screen. Perhaps they were looking at a turn instruction, or maybe they were entering a new location while going through an intersection.
If you were involved in a car accident, and believe someone may have been negligent by using their vehicle’s screen, you may want to know what type of records you can pull before they are gone. A free car accident consultation is one way to discuss the circumstances and possible next steps. For Houston car accident claim information and the consultation option, visit www.pstriallaw.com.
Perhaps someone rear ended you, and you believe they were looking at their vehicle’s screen to change a song, instead of looking at the cars ahead of them slowing down. More details about their screen, and when they may have been looking at it, would be needed to determine if they were at fault.
It’s important to note, just because they may have been looking at their screen during their drive, doesn’t mean they were looking at it right before an accident.
What Texas Law Says
Texas restricts reading, writing or sending electronic messages on portable wireless devices while driving, subject to statutory exceptions and defenses. This rule is not a blanket prohibition on touching a built-in dashboard screen, though unsafe screen use may still be relevant to a negligence claim.
Also, being pulled over for texting, and being liable for someone’s injuries are two different things. You could not have been cited for texting, and still be considered negligent for an accident.
Texas follows Proportionate Responsibility, meaning if you are at fault for someone’s injuries, your damages will be decreased by the percentage of fault that you have. In cases covered by Texas proportionate-responsibility rules, a claimant’s damages are reduced by their share of fault. Recovery is generally barred if their share is greater than 50%.
Can the Automaker Share Responsibility?
As you can see, many factors can be considered when someone is using their screen while driving. But, if there is a possibility that something with your screen may have been defective, the issue may need a closer look.
Maybe you couldn’t find a feature, or the screen wasn’t responding, or perhaps something with the display wasn’t working properly. There could be something that went wrong with your screen, but it’s not always easy to determine if the manufacturer is at fault.
For a Texas design-defect claim, a claimant generally must prove that a safer alternative design was available and that the alleged defect was a producing cause of the injury or damage. A hard-to-use screen does not prove a defect by itself.
The year, make, and model of your vehicle may be worth looking into, along with the type of software it had, and if it malfunctioned during your trip. It’s always good to get more information on the topic, before deciding that the vehicle is at fault for an accident.
Which Evidence Matters After a Crash?
There are many ways to try to prove someone was using their screen, while they were driving. Maybe the officer who arrived at the scene stated that the other driver didn’t see the stoplight, but may not know why they didn’t see it.
Here are some ways to collect evidence, that may prove the other driver was using their vehicle’s screen:
- Camera Footage: There may have been cameras near the accident that captured what was happening at the time. Whether it was your dashcam, or a business, those recordings may be requested.
- Witnesses: If there were passengers in the car, or someone that saw what was happening, they may have noticed that the other driver was using their screen.
- Vehicle Data: Some vehicles store data, but not everything will be recorded. Just because the car stored some data, doesn’t mean that it will show that the driver was looking at their screen.
- Photos From Scene: Scene photos may help document damage, lane markings, traffic signals and other conditions relevant to the collision.
If you think there may have been something wrong with the vehicle’s screen, gather as much information as you can on the vehicle’s make, model, and year. Also, take notes on anything that may have stood out, but don’t assume that the vehicle is at fault for your accident.
There may also be situations where you cannot access the other person’s phone, or the vehicle’s connected car. There could be restrictions that may prevent access, but it’s always good to try.
After an accident, seek medical treatment, take photos, and preserve any footage that may help with your case. If you believe the vehicle’s screen may have been defective, you may want to speak with someone about keeping that vehicle’s data.
Safer Ways to Use a Connected Dashboard
Always, enter your destination, and other necessary tasks before driving. If you are unsure on how to use your vehicle’s screen, look it up before you begin your trip.
While driving, you want to minimize the amount of time you’re using the screen. Perhaps there is a button you can press that will do the job for you, without having to dig through menus. Voice commands can also be helpful, but still cause some form of cognitive distraction.
Have a passenger find your destination, if you know you will need to change something while driving. Or, pull over to a safe area to complete your tasks. Always learn how to use your vehicle’s screen, before you are in heavy traffic.
Wrapping It Up
Vehicle screens can be very helpful, but if an accident occurs, all factors that may have played a role in that accident need to be considered. It could be something that the driver did, or maybe there was something defective about the vehicle’s screen.
These differences can help show which questions and evidence may matter when liability is assessed.