Cell Phones Distract Drivers

According to recent statistics regarding cell phone usage and text messaging, over 25% of all car accidents are caused by drivers talking on a cell phone. Nearly 1/5 of all experienced adult drivers admit to sending text messages while driving, and 21% of fatal car crashes involving teenagers were the result of cell phone usage.

At any given time, more than 800,000 vehicles in the United States are being driven by someone using a handheld cell phone. This had led to over 6,000 people killed and another 500,000 seriously injured in 2008 due to distracted drivers using handheld cell phones. Some studies have found that texting while driving is about 6 times more likely to cause an accident than DUI.

Because of these unfavorable statistics, many states have begun enacting laws and ordinances to restrict or ban cell phone usage while operating a vehicle. A federal ban was implemented in January of 2010 for commercial vehicle drivers. A commercial driver found to be using a handheld cell phone or texting while driving can be subject to finds up to $2,750.

The state of Illinois enacted a hands-free cell phone ordinance in 2005 that requires drivers to use a hands-free device while operating a cell phone in their vehicle. Bluetooth headsets, wired earpieces, or onboard Bluetooth connectivity will all allow a driver to use their cell phone without holding it. If a driver is caught operating their vehicle with a cell phone in hand, they can be fined $60 and up to $200 if involved in an accident.

Our article on common car accidents explains many of the other driver distractions and injuries that can result from car accidents. 

If you or a loved one has been involved in a serious car accident as a result of a driver distracted by cell phone usage, you should contact a Chicago car accident attorney at the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. To improve your chances at a fair settlement and take the burden out of all the paperwork involved in a car accident claim, contact us today for a free case evaluation - 312-263-1080.