Preventing Chicago Car Crashes: Dangers of Texting While Driving Highlighted During US DOT's Distracted Driving Summit
Beginning January, the state of Illinois will ban all motorists from texting while driving. In the meantime, this form of distracted driving is still legal and many motorists will continue to send and receive texts while operating a motor vehicle despite knowing that texting while driving significantly increases a person’s chances of becoming involved in a Chicago car crash.
Fortunately, efforts to continue to educate and remind people that texting while driving can be fatal. Beginning tomorrow, the US Department of Transportation will hold its Distracted Driving Summit to discuss the dangers that can arise and the deaths that can result when someone texts while driving or participates in other distracted driving activities. Also, from October 5 to October 11, AAA and AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is sponsoring Heads Up Driving Week. They are calling on motorists across the US to stop all distracted driving activities---especially talking on a cell phone and texting—for just one week.
In Illinois, one Northwestern University student is garnering attention for a school project she and other students are making called "Message Received." The film highlighting the dangers of texting when driving. Last year, the city of Chicago passed an ordinance making Internet surfing and texting illegal.
If you were injured in a Chicago auto crash because a driver was distracted, you may be entitled to personal injury recovery from the liable party.
AAA Foundation for traffic safety says that driver inattention is a cause of over one million traffic accidents in the US. It is unacceptable that people are getting hurt and dying because certain motorists are unable to wait until they’ve arrived at their destination to respond to or compose a text message, make a phone call, light a cigarette, read a newspaper, or use their hands to eat, paint their nails, or apply makeup.
Student film focuses on texting during driving, DailyNorthwestern, September 29, 2009
Administration Eyes Ways to Block Texting While Driving, US News & World Report, September 28, 2009
What is Heads Up Driving Week?, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety
Cellphone laws, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
Please contact our Chicago, Illinois car accident law firm to request your free case evaluation about your cell phone accident or another type of distracted driving case.
