Chicago Car Accident Attorneys Blog

According to the Highway Loss Data Institute, the number of car accidents aren’t going down despite laws in certain US states banning handheld cell phones and texting while driving. These latest findings were based on insurance claims for accident damage from three of the states that ban handheld devices.

HLDI, which is affiliated with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, speculates that one reason the number of motor vehicle crashes isn’t being impacted by the texting and handheld cell phone bans is because it is likely that more people are using handsfree devices now that handheld ones are off limit and/or have been portrayed as more dangerous. However, HLDI and IIHS president Adrian says more research related to these new findings is required.

Earlier this month, the National Safety Council announced that about 1.6 million motor vehicle crashes a year (that’s 28% of all traffic accidents) are caused by text messaging and cell phone conversations. The US Department of Transportation reports that almost 500,000 injuries and 6,000 fatalities happen a year because of just these two distracted driving habits. This week, the federal government issued—effectively immediately—a national ban making it illegal for commercial truckers and bus drivers to text and drive at the same time.

Our Chicago car accident lawyers are very aware of the dangers posed by distracted driving. Please contact us to discuss your cell phone accident case.

Drivers no longer can plead ignorance when it comes to the dangers of talking on the cell phone, texting, or surfing the Web while driving. Distracted driving is negligent driving.

Study: Distracted driving laws don't stop crashes, Washington Post, January 29, 2010

National Safety Council Estimates that At Least 1.6 Million Crashes are Caused Each Year by Drivers Using Cell Phones and Texting, NSC, January 12, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Focus Driven

State Cell Phone Driving Laws, Governors Highway Safety Association