Should Illinois Texting While Driving Ban Also Prohibit Internet, Facebook, and Twitter Use?
Just when safety officials were getting the word out that talking on the cell phone and texting while driving can cause car crashes, State Farm is now reporting that surfing the Web has also become a common driver distraction. The insurer says that of the 912 licensed drivers that answered its informal online survey, almost one in five drivers admitted to surf the Internet while driving at least once a week. Our Chicago car crash lawyers are very concerned about this finding.
While our Chicago cell phone accident firm would like to hope that that people would deduce that if texting while driving is dangerous, then surely posting a Tweet, reading CNN.com in moving traffic, or sending a Facebook friend request is no less safe, State Farm says that over 19% of respondents admitted to going online on a cell phone while driving.
Granted, this figure is much lower than the 74% of respondents who said that they talk on the cell phone while driving at least once a week or the 35% who admitted to texting and driving, it is disturbing to know that there are so many drivers out there who are endangering themselves and others because they are on the Internet.
It was just last month that we reported on a Chicago wrongful death lawsuit against a driver accused of updating her Facebook page while driving. A pedestrian was killed in that Illinois distracted driving crash.
Currently, in Illinois, all drivers are barred from texting while driving. Ban of handheld cell phone use, however, is at the discretion of each locality. Chicago is one of those localities that has banned the use of handheld cell phone ban while driving.
If you believe that a smart phone played a role in causing your injuries, our Chicago cell phone accidents law firm wants to talk to you.
19 Percent Of Drivers Say They Use The Internet While Driving, State Farm, March 4, 2011
Many admit using Web while driving, Sun-Times, March 4, 2011
Distracted Driving: Chicago Car Crash Occurred Because Driver was Updating Facebook Page, Claims Wrongful Death Lawsuit, Chicago Car Accident Attorneys, February 15, 2011
Related Web Resources:
Cellphone Laws, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
Distracted Driving, CyberDrive Illinois
More Blog Posts:
Illinois Court of Claims Awards $8M to Family of Uhl Sisters Killed in 2007 Car Crash Caused by State Trooper Accused of Speeding, Texting, and Cell Phone Driving, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers, January 20, 2011
Cook County Cell Phone Accident Causes Serious Injuries to Berwyn Pedestrian, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers, September 24, 2010
Champaign, Illinois Teenager Was Texting When He Fatally Struck Chicago Pedestrian with His Car, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers, July 26, 2010
