April has been designated Distracted Driving Awareness Month, which gives us all a great opportunity to become more aware of unsafe activities behind the wheel and how to prevent car accidents.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the use of cell phones, GPS systems, and other electronic devices while driving is a serious safety concern that injures and kills tens of thousands of people every year. However, distractions are not limited only to hand-held devices – anything that requires cognitive, visual, or physical attention can potentially cause an accident. Even car infotainment systems have been shown to present significant distraction despite being hands-free.
Did you know…?
- Distracted drivers have a four times greater chance of being involved in a collision, and cause more than 6,000 preventable deaths every year
- Nine Americans are killed every day in distracted driving accidents
- There is a one-in-four chance that any car accident involved cell phone distraction
- One in two drivers will answer calls while driving
Texas Has Banned Texting & Cell Phone Use While Driving
Recognizing distracted driving as a national crisis, 14 states have banned the handheld cell phone usage while driving, and texting while driving has been made illegal in 46 states and D.C.
Here are the laws for Texas:
- Ban on all cell phone (handheld or hands-free) for bus drivers
- Ban on all cell phone (handheld or hands-free) for novice drivers (first 12 months of driving)
- Ban on texting for bus drivers
- Ban on texting for novice drivers
- Ban on handheld cell phone use and texting in school zones
Available to Our Clients 24/7
The Stewart Law Firm reminds Texas drivers that the best decision you can make is to turn off your cell phone as soon as you get in the driver’s seat. It only takes a split second for a distraction to cause a devastating crash. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a car accident that involved distracted driving, please contact us to learn more about your legal rights.
Our skilled litigators have decades of experience handling car accident cases and have earned a shining reputation in our community. We are fully committed to pursuing justice on behalf of those we serve.
To learn more about how we can help, please fill out a free online consultation form.
