How Dangerous is it to use Your Cell Phone While Driving?

The fact that over 660,000 drivers are using their cellphones in some way while operating a vehicle is shocking. While smartphones have made it easy for us to stay connected to our loved ones at all times, they have also impaired our ability to drive distraction free.

• Teen drivers are four times more likely to get into car crashes when talking or texting than adults.
• Eleven teens die every day as a result of texting while driving.
• 21% of teen drivers involved in deadly accidents were sidetracked by their cell phones.
• A teen driver with one passenger doubles the risk of getting into a deadly car accident.
• According to an AAA poll, 94% of teen drivers acknowledge the dangers of texting while driving, and still 35% confessed to doing it anyway.

• 74% of drivers support a ban on hand-held cell phone use.
• Answering a text while driving takes away your attention from the road for five seconds.
• Nearly 330,000 injuries happen each year from accidents resulting from texting while driving.
• Of all cell phone related tasks, the most dangerous task by far is texting.
• 94% of drivers support a ban on texting while driving.
• Texting while operating a vehicle causes a 400% increase in time spent with eyes off of the road.
• Texting while driving is six times more likely to cause an accident than driving drunk.
• The National Safety Council reports that cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes each year.
• One out of four car accidents in the United States is caused by texting and driving.

• Of the drivers surveyed, 14% said they read text messages or emails while driving.
• In the survey, 24% of drivers stated that they are comfortable making a phone call while driving.
• A majority of participants supported laws that banned talking on cell phones, emailing and texting while driving as well.
• 1 in 10 drivers surveyed said that they send text messages or emails while driving.
• Nearly 48% of drivers confess to answering their cell phones while driving.
• 58% of drivers that admitted to answering their phones while driving continued to drive while talking on the phone.

• In 2012, 11% of drivers under age 20 involved in deadly car accidents were documented to be sidetracked at the time of the crash.
• About 421,000 people were wounded in crashes involving a sidetracked driver.
• In 2012, 3,328 people were killed in distraction-related accidents.
• ¼ of teenagers respond to at least one text message every time they are behind the wheel. 20% of teens and 10% of parents admit to having muti-text message conversations while driving.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2009 estimated sidetracked drivers caused 20% of car accidents implicating injuries. A study University of Utah performed revealed that drivers that were preoccupied with something while driving had a slower reaction time than those of individuals that had a blood alcohol level of .08%. San Antonio has implemented new laws that should help in reducing sidetracked drivers. These new laws should encourage everyone to put their phone away while driving, saving many innocent lives. Any and all cell phone use while driving creates distraction and takes your focus off of the road. It is this distraction that leads to majority of auto accidents.

Sidetracked driving involves but not limited to:

1. Watching a video
2. Reading (including maps)
3. Talking to passengers
4. Adjusting a radio, MP3 player or CD player
5. Using a navigation system
6. Eating or Drinking
7. Using a cell phone or Smartphone
8. Texting

Every day accidents occur because of sidetracked drivers. With technology on the rise many people try and multitask while driving which is extremely dangerous. Sidetracked drivers cause many car, trucking and motorcycle accidents. Many of these accidents result in the loss of innocent lives. When being a passenger in the car, make sure you keep yourself and everyone else in the car safe by encouraging the driver of the vehicle to be alert and not texting, changing the radio station or talking on the phone.

If you or a loved one has been a victim of an accident involving a sidetracked driver you may have questions such as:

• Who will pay for my loss?
• How will I pay for my medical bills?
• How will I support my family while I recover?

We here at Carabin Shaw are here to answer your questions. We will provide the legal advice and help you need while going through this difficult time. It is your right to receive reimbursement or compensation for lost wages, loss of property, pain and mental anguish, medical costs and also inconvenience.

Texting while driving is becoming increasingly prevalent in our beautiful state of Texas. Texting while driving is hazardous, irresponsible and can cause serious motor vehicle accidents along with injuries and death. If you or a loved one have been injured as a consequence of texting while driving, it is essential to contact Carabin Shaw to learn more about your rights for pursuing compensation.

The federal government and Texas have worked to stop texting while driving by creating and strengthening laws while funding safety awareness programs. Despite the hard work of our governments, texting while driving continues to be an issue on our roadways.

It is imperative for you to be aware of these laws in order to keep you and the people you share the road with out of harms way.

• Drivers with learners permits are prohibited from using handheld cell phones in the first six months of driving.
• Drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using wireless communications devices.
• School bus operators are prohibited from using cell phones while driving if children are present.
• In school zones, all drivers are prohibited from texting and using handheld devices while driving.
• Local restrictions. According to the Texas Legislative Council, the following cities have ordinances prohibiting texting while driving:
  • Alamo
  • Alice
  • Amarillo
  • Aransas Pass
  • Arlington
  • Austin
  • Bellaire
  • Brownsville
  • Canyon
  • Conroe
  • Converse
  • Corpus Christi
  • Denton
  • El Paso
  • Farmers Branch
  • Galveston
  • Grand Prairie
  • Harlingen
  • Helotes
  • Laredo
  • Magnolia
  • Maypearl
  • McAllen
  • Meadowlakes
  • Mission
  • Missouri City
  • Mount Vernon
  • Nacogdoches
  • Palmview
  • Pampa
  • Penitas
  • Richwood
  • Rowlett
  • San Antonio
  • Shoreacres
  • Sinton
  • Stephenville
  • Tomball
  • Universal City
  • West University Place

Fines and Cell Phone Ordinance Types

Fines range from $200 to $500.

There are three types of cell phone ordinances:

• Ban on all uses of wireless communications devices while driving.
• Ban on texting while driving.
• Ban on texting and other manual uses of wireless communication devices while driving.

Nearly 40 cities have adopted ordinances since November 2009, when Austin became the first city to enact a citywide ban on texting while driving.

http://www.txdot.gov/driver/laws/cellphones.html

If you have been injured by a distracted driver or a texting driver, call Carabin Shaw.