{"id":537933,"date":"2026-06-26T01:03:37","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T01:03:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newjerseyheadlines.com\/news\/story\/537933\/roanoke-car-accident-attorney-john-p-fishwick-jr-addresses-the-hidden-dangers-of-vehicle-infotainment-systems.html"},"modified":"2026-06-26T01:03:37","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T01:03:37","slug":"roanoke-car-accident-attorney-john-p-fishwick-jr-addresses-the-hidden-dangers-of-vehicle-infotainment-systems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.northcarolinaheadlines.com\/news\/story\/537933\/roanoke-car-accident-attorney-john-p-fishwick-jr-addresses-the-hidden-dangers-of-vehicle-infotainment-systems.html","title":{"rendered":"Roanoke Car Accident Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. Addresses the Hidden Dangers of Vehicle Infotainment Systems"},"content":{"rendered":"
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ROANOKE, VA –<\/strong> Modern vehicle infotainment systems consolidate dozens of functions into a single touchscreen hub, creating new opportunities for visual, manual, and cognitive distraction behind the wheel. Roanoke car accident attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. of Fishwick & Associates PLC (https:\/\/www.fishwickandassociates.com\/blog\/why-are-vehicle-infotainment-systems-dangerous\/<\/a>) examines how these in-vehicle systems contribute to crash risk and how Virginia law applies when infotainment use causes a collision.<\/p>\n

According to Roanoke car accident attorney John P. Fishwick Jr., infotainment systems can route phone calls and messages, play music, offer navigation, and serve as the primary controls for climate settings, seat adjustments, and diagnostics. The more features a vehicle puts within reach, the more opportunities drivers have to interact with those features while driving. “Drivers often assume that because a feature is built into the car, it must be safe to use while driving,” Fishwick observes. “That assumption can have serious consequences.”<\/p>\n

Roanoke car accident attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. explains that infotainment distraction triggers all three categories of driver inattention. Visual distraction occurs when a driver takes their eyes off the road to look at menus or locate on-screen controls. Manual distraction occurs when a driver removes one or both hands from the steering wheel to tap, swipe, or scroll. Cognitive distraction occurs when the driver’s mental attention shifts to selecting a playlist, composing a text through voice-to-text, or following turn-by-turn navigation directions.<\/p>\n

Attorney Fishwick points to research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety identifying programming a navigation destination and sending text messages through the infotainment system as the most dangerous in-vehicle tasks. AAA reported that programming navigation was the most distracting task and took an average of 40 seconds for drivers to complete.<\/p>\n

The firm notes that infotainment distraction can produce slower reaction times, impaired decision-making, increased likelihood of missing road hazards, lane deviation, and reduced situational awareness. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 3,208 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2024. “Infotainment systems contribute to this problem because they are built into the vehicle and available for use at any time, unlike a phone that a driver might choose to put away,” Fishwick adds.<\/p>\n

Attorney Fishwick observes that Virginia does not have any law that specifically bans infotainment system use while driving. The closest statute is Virginia Code § 46.2-1077, which prohibits motor vehicles registered in the Commonwealth from being equipped with a television receiver that displays moving images visible to the driver while the vehicle is in motion. However, the statute includes broad exemptions that cover most infotainment functions, including navigation, audio, phone, and climate controls.<\/p>\n

Even without a specific infotainment statute, Fishwick & Associates PLC notes, a driver who causes a crash while using an infotainment system can be held liable under Virginia negligence principles and, in serious cases, the reckless driving law under Virginia Code § 46.2-852. A driver focused on a touchscreen who causes a serious crash could face both criminal reckless driving charges and civil liability for the injuries caused.<\/p>\n

“Proving infotainment distraction requires moving quickly to preserve evidence,” Fishwick emphasizes. The firm explains that common types of evidence include police reports, eyewitness testimony, surveillance footage, vehicle infotainment data when available, and event data recorder information. Most modern vehicles are equipped with an event data recorder, commonly called a “black box,” which can provide vehicle information such as speed, braking-related data, crash data, and restraint-system data.<\/p>\n

Crash victims in the Commonwealth can pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering when legally recoverable, and property damage, according to the firm. Virginia’s pure contributory negligence rule, however, can bar recovery if the injured driver is found even partially at fault, making it especially important to build a strong case that clearly establishes the other driver’s infotainment distraction as the cause of the crash.<\/p>\n

Under Virginia Code § 8.01-243, the firm notes, most personal injury claims must be filed within two years after the cause of action accrues. Property-damage claims generally have a five-year limitations period. In infotainment distraction cases, acting quickly is especially important because key evidence such as EDR data, infotainment system logs, and surveillance footage can be lost, overwritten, or destroyed in the weeks and months following a crash.<\/p>\n

For those injured by a driver distracted by an in-vehicle screen in Roanoke, Salem, Lynchburg, Blacksburg, or surrounding Virginia communities, contacting a knowledgeable car accident attorney can help ensure critical evidence is identified and preserved.<\/p>\n

About Fishwick & Associates PLC: <\/strong><\/p>\n

Fishwick & Associates PLC is a Roanoke-based law firm representing people injured in distracted driving crashes throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Led by attorney John P. Fishwick Jr., a former United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, the firm helps crash victims investigate how an accident happened and pursue compensation under Virginia law. For consultations, call (540) 345-5890.<\/p>\n

Embeds:<\/p>\n

Youtube Video: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=KPEgZ0VcDGs<\/a><\/p>\n

GMB: https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps?cid=10040635858459830700<\/a><\/p>\n

Email and website<\/p>\n

Email: info@fishwickandassociates.com<\/p>\n

Website: https:\/\/www.fishwickandassociates.com\/<\/p>\n

Media Contact<\/span>
Company Name:<\/strong> Fishwick & Associates PLC<\/a>
Contact Person:<\/strong> John P. Fishwick Jr.
Email:<\/strong> Send Email<\/a>
Phone:<\/strong> (540) 345 5890
Address:<\/strong>30 Franklin Rd SW Ste 700
City:<\/strong> Roanoke
State:<\/strong> VA 24011
Country:<\/strong> United States
Website:<\/strong> https:\/\/www.fishwickandassociates.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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ROANOKE, VA – Modern vehicle infotainment systems consolidate dozens of functions into a single touchscreen hub, creating new opportunities for visual, manual, and cognitive distraction behind the wheel. Roanoke car<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.northcarolinaheadlines.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/537933"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.northcarolinaheadlines.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.northcarolinaheadlines.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.northcarolinaheadlines.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.northcarolinaheadlines.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=537933"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.northcarolinaheadlines.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/537933\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.northcarolinaheadlines.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=537933"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.northcarolinaheadlines.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=537933"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.northcarolinaheadlines.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=537933"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}