According to recent statistics reported by many news articles, the use of cell phones and other technologies is the main cause of the increase in deaths related to distracted driving accidents.
The authoritative reports from California transportation safety officials demonstrate that the most common distraction among young adults is unfortunately, texting while driving. The state of California has seen an alarming increase in fatal accidents caused by young adults texting while driving in the past year.
In California alone, official reports point to a staggering number of 600 fatal accidents a year related to cell phone usage while driving. Ten years ago, when the usage of cell phone wasn’t as popular, the number of deaths related to distracted driving incidents in the state were as low as 300.
Any car accident lawyer in Los Angeles is unfortunately quite familiar with fatal accidents related to distracted drivers. In most of these accidents, fatalities could have been prevented if drivers kept their eyes on the road and stayed away from the temptation of using their cell phones while driving.
Contact a proficient Los Angeles personal injury lawyer whenever you or a loved one has been involved in an accident caused by the recklessness of a distracted driver.
The commercial truck and bus drivers are well aware that any handheld cell phone usage is banned. According to different news sources, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration otherwise known as FMCSA put the ban in place by emphasizing that all truck and bus drivers were not allowed to use any handheld devices while operating their vehicles.
Some critics however claim that while this rule may be a strong first step in the war against distracted driving practices, it shouldn’t be perceived as the only step to be taken by the authorities and driving community. Road education is a real concern among those who believe a cell phone ban alone will not solve the problem, according to an official statement from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.
The reality is that distracted driving encompasses not only the occasional use of handheld devices, but also other factors that haven’t even been publicized by the authorities according to the news sources.
Curbing risky behaviors will surely prove to be effective but there must be an extensive effort to educate the entire population about traffic laws and the major dangers of distracted driving.
As a Los Angeles bus accident lawyer I appreciate the dedication of certain agencies like the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Education is a noble effort specially when it targets a community that lacks basic safety knowledge. Contact a personal injury attorney in Los Angeles as soon as possible if you are ever the victim of a distracted driver.
Personal injury lawyers know for a fact that cell phone usage behind the wheel can be extremely dangerous. Talking or texting while driving isn’t just a distraction, it’s a risk that can even be life-threatening.
Although we’re very aware of all these facts, the ban on cell phone usage while driving hasn’t been allegedly proved to be as effective as we previously thought. The evidence, according to many news sources, is simply inconclusive. The reports from the authority show no significant change in the number of crashes going down due to less cell phone usage.
As a matter of fact, the news have also stated that the number of cell phones in use since 1990 went from 4 million to the staggering number of 322 million and yet, the number of general car accidents has actually lowered.
The several States where the cell phone usage was banned have seen no difference in the number of crashes according to the Highway Loss Data Institute. Another interesting fact is that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has noticed an increase in accident claims from drivers hiding their texting in several states where texting while driving turned into an illegal act.
As a Los Angeles car accident lawyer, I understand that distracted driving can lead to many fatal accidents. Some more time is needed to really understand the consequences of the cell phone ban.
Whenever you or a loved one is involved in an accident that was caused by a distracted driver, don’t hesitate to contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.
According to recent news reports and the Governors Highway Safety Association, Pennsylvania just passed a new law that bans any kind of cell-phone handling. Texting while driving has become an offense while on the road.
It’s a well-known fact that distracted driving causes numerous accidents but the fact that the state decided to make it a law should serve as a wake-up call to all drivers not only in Pennsylvania but nationwide.
A driver must never take their eyes off the road. The ramifications that come from accidents related to distracted driving can be severe even if you were involved in an accident that hasn’t harmed anybody else.
According to the news, the legislation will take effect next March. Any person receiving, sending or reading text messages using a mobile device or any other kind of wireless communication gadget while driving will be given a citation for $50. The report also summons that distracted driving, includes drinking, talking, texting and even eating, caused 20% of all injury car accidents in 2009 alone.
As a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer I respect that authorities are finally taking matters into their own hands so safety can be everybody’s priority. Being cited for distracted driving or texting while driving may not have any effect on vehicle policy rates but that’s a fact that could be challenged. Handling mobile devices while driving has been proved to be a greater-than-average threat to all drivers.
Remember to always have the contact of a personal injury lawyer in your area at hand in case you have any doubts regarding a case you might have been involved in.
According to various news articles, two software companies are combining their best minds to develop a software that promises to make it hard, if not impossible for drivers to use their cellphones while driving. The menace that texting while driving and other phone related activities may pose to motorists may be grasping for its last breath.
Reports show that the two firms working on this idea aim to bring the software to government agencies and businesses so any phone related activity might be blocked when the driver is in a moving vehicle.
After the President issued a federal order keeping any employees from using their phones while operating government-owned vehicles, many started to put pressure on local authorities to ban texting while driving but enforcement is still a very hard to keep.
While simple tools for disabling cellphones while in a moving vehicle already exist, none was able to be compatible with iPhones.
As a Los Angeles wrongful death attorney, I urge all drivers to simply follow the law and keep your hands away from your cellphone while driving. Resisting the temptation can save your life and the lives of many others.
In the case you are the victim of a distracted driver, contact a personal injury lawyer in your area as fast as possible so you may be assisted in a timely manner.
The reports from various news sources have stated that the new iPhone’s voice activated Siri may still get you in trouble with the law. According to the authorities, you can use the gadget anytime, what you cannot do is touch it. Anything that is not hands-free can be accident hazards so as long as the phone is not in the driver’s hands, it is legal for a driver to talk to Siri.
According to the news, it is illegal to read directions from a screen as well; the device must declaim the directions so the driver will only have to focus on driving and paying attention to the road ahead. Although the law is allegedly clear about hands-free and reading free environment for the driver, it might only be up to a judge if you were breaking the law by using the iPhone’s new technology or not.
The representative from the California Highway patrol has stated that law enforcement officials can interpret cellphone legislation in many different ways. Hopefully, drivers understand that distracted driving can lead to deaths and severe damage to other vehicles.
As a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer I hope to see more drivers who respect the legislation and understand the risks of texting while driving. Whenever you feel like you were the victim of a distracted driver who could have threatened your life by texting or even talking over the phone while driving, don’t hesitate in contacting a personal injury lawyer in your area.
According to various news sources there is a bill that was introduced sometime four years ago that suggested the ban of texting-while-driving. The much discussed bill has been allegedly approved by the legislature this week with an overwhelming approving rate among both parties in the House of Representatives and state Senate.
The bill states that texting-while-driving will be considered a primary offense and it means that the police can stop any driver who is texting while on the wheel. The fine is reported to be $50.
Safety concerns over the rising number of accidents related to texting-while-driving have brought politicians together with the effort of making roads safe by diminishing the possibility of distracted driving. According to the many news sources covering the initiative, this new law should make the roads safer.
As a Los Angeles car accident lawyer and a parent, I understand that the high number of crashes related to distracted driving are revolting and alarming.
Whenever involved in any distracted driving accident whether it was related to texting-while-driving or any other form of distraction such as cell phone talking, remember to contact a distracted car accidents lawyer that will guide you and help you with your case.
Ford has announced new changes to their Sync telematics system that will maker listening to text messages behind the wheel easier for drivers, according to recent news sources.
According to Ford, the enhancements allow more devices to be synced with the hand-free text read-back feature. Ford has claimed that the new feature “…gives users the ability to simply and smartly manage incoming text messages from their vehicle while keeping their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.”
However, safety concerns are being raised by the new features. Some professionals believe that listening to text messages will take up too much of the driver’s cognitive attention, causing them to be distracted from the road.
“In many situations, driving takes most of our attention; we’re not capable of doing much more,” says the associate director of the New England University Transportation Center.
As a Los Angeles car accident lawyer, car safety is one of my utmost priorities. In my experience as a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, I’ve seen how distracted driving can cost lives. As a reader and perhaps someone who has been distracted by your phone in the car yourself, do you believe that this new feature will increase or decrease safety on the road?
New anti-distracted driving rules, employer guidelines, and preliminary results from enforcement campaigns have been announced by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood during the Second National Distracted Driving Summit, according to a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announcement. The new regulations prohibiting distracted driving are for commercial motorists transporting hazardous materials, commercial truck and bus drivers, and rail operators. In addition, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) created the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) which helps prevent traffic crashes by encouraging businesses to support anti-distracted driving policies in the workplace.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) also announced provisional data from its pilot enforcement campaign, “Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other,” in Hartford, CT and Syracuse, NY. Based on data gathered by the NHTSA and law enforcement in these cities, hand-held cell phone use dropped 56% in Hartford and 38% in Syracuse and texting while driving dropped 68% in Hartford and 42% in Syracuse.
In an effort to keep vehicle occupants and pedestrians safe by helping to prevent motor vehicle accidents caused by distracted driving, new laws have been introduced prohibiting texting while driving for commercial bus and truck motorists. In addition, restrictions on the use of cell phones and other electronic devices by train operators have been created. Secretary LaHood said that he is instituting a new regulation forbidding commercial truck drivers from texting while transporting hazardous materials, and stated, “We are taking action on a number of fronts to address the epidemic of distracted driving in America.” To learn more about the DOT’s efforts to curb distracted driving, visit http://www.distraction.gov/.
With the NHTSA reporting that almost 5,500 individuals were killed and half a million injured in accidents involving a distracted driver, the need for new laws, regulations, and awareness regarding these types of accidents cannot be stressed enough. If you or someone you care about has been injured in an auto accident caused by a distracted driver, the California distracted driving car accident attorneys at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP can help you obtain full and just compensation. Call 877-800-1700 today for a free consultation.
The distracted driving attorneys at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP are proud to announce the sponsorship of a website called DeadlyTexting.com which advocates against teens texting while they are behind the wheel. Panish Shea & Boyle LLP has united with CBS 5 – San Francisco and several other news, internet media, and radio outlets to spread awareness about the risks of texting while driving, especially among teenage drivers. Distracted driving can have devastating consequences, yet teens often think that they cannot be affected. DeadlyTexting.com aims to help further educate the public about the dangers of texting while driving and assist parents in initiating discussions with their teens.
To learn more about DeadlyTexting.com and how parents can help their children make the decision to NOT text and drive, please read Panish Shea & Boyle’s full press release here or visit www.psblaw.com.
