Many of you may be familiar with the popular mobile app, Snapchat. For those who aren’t, it essentially is an app that’s commonly used to share videos, pictures, drawings and even texts. The kicker is that the videos and photos can only be viewed for a few seconds before it self-destructs. More recently, Snapchat has moved into the limelight, but not in a particularly good way.
Snapchat has a number of popular filters — several of which can be used to show your speed in an automobile at the time a picture is taken. In order for the filter to work, the individual has to be traveling in a vehicle.
While it sounds like an interesting filter, it has recently come under fire, as many have said that it is the “perfect storm” for an automobile crash. In fact, Snapchat is currently dealing with a lawsuit stemming from a driver’s use of the app filter that allegedly led to a major collision.
Lawsuit Alleges Snapchat App Caused a Crash
The suit involves a teenage driver who was allegedly using a Snapchat speed filter to demonstrate who fast she was going at the time of the collision. Court documents note that the teen was traveling in a 55-mile-per-hour zone while maintaining a speed of over 100 miles per hour.
She used the filter to brag about her speed; however, after the collision occurred, she used the app to post a picture of herself in the ambulance with a neck brace on and a caption stating that she was “lucky to be alive.”
The driver of the other vehicle stayed in the ICU for five weeks after sustaining severe traumatic brain injuries. The driver of the other vehicle is seeking to hold not only the teen driver, but also Snapchat responsible for his injuries.
Unfortunately, this isn’t Snapchat’s first time being blamed for its role in causing an automobile accident. Three Philadelphia women were involved in a deadly collision in which the Snapchat filter was alleged to have contributed to their deaths back in December of 2015.
Avoid a Collision — Put the Phone Down
An executive director with Drive Smart Colorado commented on the collisions, noting that Snapchat is well aware that its app appeals to younger individuals, yet the “powers-that-be” somehow came to the conclusion that their speed filters were actually good ideas.
It is quite obvious that tweeting, posting or snapping while you are in the process of operating an automobile is not a good idea. In fact, such activities can be used to demonstrate that an individual was actually distracted while driving. If someone sustains injuries or dies as a result of a crash stemming from distracted driving, the results could be life-changing for all involved.
That said, if you have been injured in an automobile accident, or if you have lost a loved one in a crash that may have involved a distracted driver, contact a Denver accident attorney at Levine Law right away to learn more about your rights and options under the law.
